#otp: fucking turned myself inside out

[seraphfighter]

Hey! 3 for the OTP prompts! ❤️❤️❤️

3. Write about your ship holding hands in a tense moment.

Listen, I do not know how this turned into a 1.6k-word piece, but it did. For some context, this is set in my modern au, because in the canon au Val would simply not put up with this, the badass merc that she is. (and you can blame @glitchinginthegarden for the idea)

To anyone reading, be advised: This fic has references to past abuse and features a man being creepy and scummy in general.

The night air feels refreshing after being in the stuffy bar all night. 

V retreats to the entrance of the alleyway next to the bar's main doors. Leaning back against the brick wall, she pulls out her pack of cigarettes and places one between her lips to light it. She takes a deep drag and exhales, the smoke billowing out in front of her. God, she’s worn out. Nights with Judy are fun but she can only handle being crowded against a bunch of drunk people for so long. It’s not her scene. 

Checking the time, V pulls her phone out of her pocket. 10:03 PM. Johnny should be here soon. He’d agreed to pick her up coming back from a late night at the studio. Shockingly, he didn’t whine about her lack of a car this time. Probably because she’s sleeping over at his place. She’d been planning on it anyway and she wasn’t going to hop on her bike after a couple of drinks, even though she doesn’t feel the effects of the alcohol. 

She occupies her time by scrolling through her feed on her phone while she smokes. Hearing footsteps to her right, she doesn’t think anything of it until a deep voice asks, “Got a spare cig?” 

V glances up at the man coming to a stop by her side. Already, she’s annoyed. She has no interest in talking to a random stranger. Hoping he’ll take the cigarette and leave her alone, she pulls out her pack and passes him one. “Thanks,” the man says, mustering what appears to be his best attempt at a charming grin as he uses his own lighter to light it. 

She doesn’t respond and returns her attention to her phone. But as her luck has it, the man doesn’t leave and keeps speaking, “What are you doing out here all by yourself?” 

Fuck, she knows where he’s going with this. “Not interested,” she responds flatly, not bothering to look up from her phone. 

“Aw, c’mon. Don’t be like that. I’m just saying a pretty woman shouldn’t be out here by yourself like this.” Out of her peripherals, she sees him move a step closer. She moves a step back. 

Unease begins to curl in her gut. She shuts her phone’s screen off but keeps it in her hand with a tight grip as she turns her attention to the man. “I said, I’m not interested.” 

The man blatantly drags his eyes over her body and she fights back a shudder. A picture of false innocence, he tilts his head. “I’m just trying to be friendly here. Night City’s dangerous you know, it’s not safe for a woman as beautiful as you to be here alone. Something bad could happen.” 

God, you can’t be a woman and go anywhere without being harassed anymore. V throws her cigarette down on the ground and uses her boot to smother it with more force than necessary. “I can handle myself, thanks.” She’ll just wait inside the bar for Johnny. Hoping that this will be the end of the conversation, V moves to step past him, but the man is faster, blocking her path. He approaches her and it’s not until she backs up that realizes he’s got her cornered against the wall. 

Her heart leaps into her throat. Fuck, fuck. She glances to the side to see if there’s anyone within sight, but they’re alone. 

“Let me at least walk you inside, then. I’ll buy you a drink.” When he speaks, she can smell the bourbon on his breath. Markus. Backed into the corner of their room. Her palms are clammy.

She feels like she’s going to be sick. 

“What? So you can spike it? Fuck off.” She tries to move past him but again, he blocks her. 

The man’s not that much taller than her but she feels small beneath his stare. “Where are you going? We’re just having a friendly conversation.” He flicks the last of his cigarette to the side and braces his hand against the wall above her. 

She could knee him in the balls and make a run for it. V’s fast and the man is clearly drunk. It’d be easy to outrun him, right? Why doesn’t she have her pocket knife on her? She should know better than to not carry it. 

“Choom, back the fuck off right now.” She’s proud of how steady her voice sounds. 

“Or what?” 

The screech of tires against the asphalt of the parking lot echoes down the alleyway. Before she can process it, the man is being hauled back and away from her. The man stumbles away and then Johnny’s in front of her, his back to her. With a hard shove, he has the offending man crashing into the opposite wall. Johnny spares a glance at her, his face contorted in an anger she’s not used to seeing on him, before he advances on the man. 

“The fuck did you think you were doin’, huh? She told you to back the fuck off!” His voice is a loud angry growl, akin to some of his vocals in his songs. 

The man holds his hands up. He looks terrified, the confidence he was exuding with her long gone. “I-I didn’t mean anything by it man!”

“Cut the bullshit!” Johnny barks. “Didn’t mean anythin’ by it? So you think it’s okay to harass my girl when she tells you to back the fuck off?!” 

V hates how hearing Johnny refer to her as his girl makes her feel all fuzzy inside, even in this situation. 

“I didn’t know! She didn’t say she had a boyfriend!” 

Pathetic. This man is pathetic. V steps forward but still keeps herself behind Johnny. “ It doesn’t matter, I told you I wasn’t interested. It’s the same fucking principal,” she snaps. 

Johnny’s fists clench down at his sides. “Well? You aren’t fuckin’ deaf! You still think it’s okay?  I should teach you a lesson right now, you piece of shit. Maybe then you’ll get it through your thick skull to leave women alone.” 

“I’m sorry!” The man almost looks close to tears. 

In the parking lot and near the entrance to the alleyway, people are starting to gather. Their yelling is drawing a crowd. V sees more than a few phones with the cameras facing them. They need to get out of her before Johnny’s recognized. 

V grasps his hand, forcing his fist to unclench so she can weave her fingers through his. She doesn’t know if it’s his hand trembling or hers. Johnny looks over at her and beneath the anger, she can see concern for her. 

“Johnny, he’s not worth it.” Subtly, she flicks her eyes over to the crowd gathering and he turns his head to glance. She keeps her voice pitched low, “We need to get out of here.” 

Oblivious, the man keeps babbling. “I won’t do it again, I promise!” 

“Shut the fuck up!” Johnny snarls at him. 

“Johnny.” She tugs on his hand, more insistent this time. “Let’s go.” 

He wants to fight her on it, she can tell, but ultimately he steps back. He turns to leave but not before growling to the man, “Get out of here. I better not see your fuckin’ face again or I’ll bash your skull in.” 

Hearing a few murmurs of Johnny’s name, V keeps her head low and turned away as they retreat from the alley, still not used to the public attention. Johnny, as usual, is unbothered. He keeps his head held straight and high as they make the short walk to the Porsche. As soon as they're sat inside, he peels out of the parking lot, gripping her hand tightly where it rests on the center console. 

The farther they get from the bar, the more adrenaline V feels fade out of her body. The glass of the window is cool against her forehead as she rests against it. She closes her eyes and focuses on her breathing until her heart rate slows and there’s no longer bile climbing up her throat. 

She doesn’t notice Johnny pulling over until they're stopped along the side of an unbusy street. Lifting her head from the window, she turns to ask Johnny what he’s doing, but he doesn’t give her a chance before his free hand cradles the side of her face and his lips are on hers. V exhales through her nose and melts into it, languidly kissing him until he pulls away. His eyes dart over her face. 

“You alright, sweetheart?” He asks quietly and tucks her hair behind her ear. 

“Yeah.” When her voice comes out shaky, she clears her throat and tries again, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little shaken up is all.” She tightens her grip on his hand as she pauses for a moment, gnawing on the inside of her lip. She debates on continuing. “Memories and all that, y’know.” 

Understanding fills Johnny’s features. “Shoulda let me beat the fucker up,” he mutters darkly. “Teach him a lesson.” 

“The last thing we need right now is you getting a criminal offense. You know that.” She smiles wryly. “The media would have a hay day with it, though.” 

He scoffs, “The media’s published worst things about me. Still doesn’t make it right, what he did. What either of them did.” 

She blinks past the threat of tears. Dropping her head to his shoulder, she breathes in the familiar smell of tobacco and cyprus. “I know.” Johnny pets the back of her head, toying with her hair and if he notices a few tears soak into the fabric of his jacket, he doesn’t say anything. “Can we just go home, get some greasy takeout, drink too much, and watch a shitty movie?” 

Home. She doesn’t even care she called his place that. In her heart, it is home. 

He presses a kiss to her temple. “Course we can, Val.”

#my writing #ship: bleed into me #camera shop au #ch: valerie ramirez #silverv #johnny silverhand #female v #cyberpunk 2077 #tw: abuse

[crescentmoonrider]

Shipping ask game: Reigen X Dimple or alternatively KakaObi

[shipping ask meme]

oh man, a choice between a Very Popular ship I don't really care about, or the ship that got me back into Naruto ?

yeah imma do both

-

EkuRei : Meh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Why don’t you ship it?

Honestly, I don't really know. They just don't do it for me like that. I like them as shitty friends, and it's not like I mind seeing this ship around, I just... don't care.

What would have made you like it?

Well that's a hard one, uhhh..... I mean, I guess it would've been funny to see Reigen react to Dimple's humanoid form. I think a part of why the fandom's take on this ship usually doesn't do it for me is that they keep on involving that poor Security Guy from Claw, when Dimple has a Grotesque Humanoid Form right here.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I'd probably enjoy it more if people weren't cowards and actually leaned into the monsterfucking aspect of this ship /o\

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

I actually really enjoy their canon dynamic ! They have a grudging respect for each other, and they bonded over how much they each care (and refuse to admit they care) about Mob, and they just. Get each other.

And they're also really funny and sarcastic, and I always love me a good comedy duo.

Basically, platonic ekurei ? Hell yeah ! Romantic/sexual ekurei ? Eh..

-

KKOB : My Naruto OTP, Unfortunately

What made you ship it?

The fuckingng. Kakashi Gaiden. Like, I've said this before and I'll say it again, Kishimoto might have messed up a lot of things, but he did Not fuck around with the Gaiden, and I don't know if I can ever recover from the symbolism of Kakashi completing his signature technique by absorbing Obito's eye into himself, the very same way he will end up absorbing Obito's personality in the future.

Just. God.

Also later in the manga, the absolute Drama of the reveal of Obito being Alive and Evil and Kakashi's breakdown at seeing the guy he's idolized his whole life standing in front of him and calling him trash...

Look, I'm not joking when I say this reveal got me back into Naruto, I had actually jumped ship when Haku was brought back to life, but then I heard the Tobi-Obito Theory actually turned out to have been officially confirmed and I just. I had to see for myself.

Basically, I'm in it for the unhealthy codependency and the angst.

What are your favorite things about the ship?

Uh. See above for the main points ? /o\

But uh, yeah, of course there's all I've already talked about, but also like. The physicality of their relationship ? Is incredible ? They literally share a pair of eye and can sometimes see from each other's point of view thanks to it.

The fight inside Kamui with the flashbacks to their old sparring was also just. When Obito grabs Kakashi's hand and uses it to complete the signs for his jutsu ? Gay As Fuck. I've never seen a more homoerotic fight scene, and I've read all of Naruto.

And of course emotionally they're a complete mess. You can't talk about the one without mentioning the other. They're barely their own person anymore, with how much they're mixed together, especially because Kakashi's way of coping with Obito's death was by just never allowing him to die.

But also Obito literally stalked him just 'cause, so y'know. They both have a part in becoming uh, to quote from NBC Hannibal, "blurred".

Dumbass gay ninjas can't live with the person they've become and so they try to lose themselves into an idealized past, failing horribly : the relationship.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

I literally do not interact with the fandom, except when I post stuff for my AUs. And the last time I narutoposted was uhhhhhhh in 2020.

I guess one thing that was common back when I still looked at some of the fandom's postings was Rin either being outright hated and treated like a nuisance, or given a Badass Girl persona that didn't actually fit with her canon personality (which is Radical Anti-War Revolutionary Who Respects Human Life, btw), probably because a lot of folks felt like she was "in the way" of KKOB. Which is *checks notes* fucking stupid.

So anyway my unpopular opinion is that Rin loves her boys and supports them no matter what, and in any world KKOB get together and Rin is around, there's no way Rin doesn't remain the two's best friend the same way she's always been. She is a part of the deal. Not necessarily as part of an OT3, but always as part of the platonic codependent Mess that makes up these idiots.

...... bringing in a third character probably isn't what's supposed to happen in this question. But like I said, I barely know what's going on in the fandom these days, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#yumi got asked stuff #whatevsbla #naruto #mob psycho 100 #kakaobi #me : hasnt posted about nard in 2 years #me : still has a full kkob rant loaded up #i love these idiots so much goddammit #trash boyfriends

[ayekassh]

Dear dairy,

It's been 2 days since it has been stated that she doesn't want me in her life anymore

2 days of crying madeeyes swollen and it shows redness and black heads around it

My head hurts just like when a doctor smash a hammer on a dead man's skull

My heart burns Little

My appetite has also gotten worse

Her being not mine hurts, a lot!

But what hurts more is that she doesn't want me anymore!

It was going to be 3 years to us next month

But the new year had a surprise for me

Happy fucking new year

As I was texting her last words my eyes started raining already

My body stopped as if it was not getting any oxygen

My breathing stopped

I was not even able to speak

What had happened

It was not so sudden

I already saw it coming

But you can't tell a dying man that he's dying and tell him to be prepared for it

It will hurt whenever he's going to have his last time

The previous months were round the clock rough

She stopped giving proper response

As if I was begging for her to stay with me or talk to me

And she was just replying it felt surreal

Because

This was not the person I knew once and for all

This wasn't the person I hung around with

This wasn't the person I cried while watching movies with

This wasn't the person who made me feel comfortable

This wasn't the person that loved me or that I have loved

For all this time

I don't know where did it all went wrong

I don't know what mistakes I have done or what bad things I've done in my past life that I'm having this as a punishment

I weeped down with friends on their shoulders

Cried my heart out

Been to a place where we used to stargaze

Where I made her wear an ice ring and fit my fingers inside it as well

She was the person who told me before she was flying to another country a few months back that if you're going to leave me I will kill you

And see now

How tables have turned

She had done the same thing to me

Who should I kill?

Myself?

Like yeah I have had dreams and thoughts about ending my own life

But who does give a fuck about it

No one

I don't even have people to share this news with

Or have a conversation about this as adults

Who would listen to my stupid talks now ???

Everyone hates my laughter and I kind of am insecure about it when people make fun of my laughter

She was the person who found it cute ????

Was that all a lie

Who's gonna listen to me rant about work and things that are happening in my everyday life?

Her mom called me in the morning

I thought she might get to know about this incident and maybe is concerned and would like to talk about it

But no

She needed the OTP for the Apollo pharmacy purchase

Because her home's Pharma purchase has my number registered

Lmao

I called her aunty for the first time today

I would call her mummy whenever she called me before today

But I feel it's not the same anymore ?

I called her aunty today !

I had a word with my little sister about the incident

She told me she cried her heart out till 3 hours when she heard this news

And while having this very conversation today she was crying

Because she couldn't see me in pain

Ab is me us bichari ki kya bhool h k wo ro Rahi ?

Many questions no answer

Because

She doesn't even like to answer as well

Conversation became MCQs

I would question a long paragraph

And she would reply in a one word

Or sometimes won't even reply at all

How busy life could be in overseas

You don't get free time for your loved ones

even on a vacation where you go to work for 3 days and you have a whole ass 4 days faltuuuu no work at all ????

Oh wait I'm not in that category anymore !!!

[hausofmamadas]

| The sweet, sweet sounds of Dinarrón |

⁂

Pairing: Dinarrón (Dina Arellano Félix x David Barrón Corona)

For @narcosfandomdiscordNarcOctober - Day 30 - Day of Amnesty (originally Day 3 - Day of Music)

Prompt: Create and post a playlist for fic/wip of yours OR your favorite episode and explain why each song resonates for that fic/wip or episode

Word count: ≈ :yodib:

The playlist -> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7DrO59HcsobbbmnVDEjLBX?si=3lcETYcXR6eDv-G_so1eBw

Since the playlist is over 100 songs, I couldn't go over every one and its place within the Dinarrón pantheon, so I decided to pick the most enduring, impactful ones and share some of the brain virus thought process and inspo for the as-of-yet unpublished Dinarrón saga whose page count will prob give War And Peace a run for its money if I can even manage to start releasing the thing to begin with:

⁂

Blue Jeans and Born to Die - Lana del Rey

Both of these songs are basically the madness that started it all so we all have problematic fav, Lana, to thank for the Dinarrón madness that’s taken my brain hostage and effectively turned me into a psy op for my otp whose sole purpose is to construct the world in which they plausibly exist and accumulate hapless converts to my cause Nothing lyrically especially screams Dinarrón so much as it is the vibes, although the “you fit me better than my favorite sweater and I know that love is mean, and love hurts. But I still remember that day we met in December, oh baby, I will love you till the end of time. I would wait a million years. As long as you remember that you’re mine” of Blue Jeans definitely reflects their relationship dynamic or rather the one that exists in my head. Namely, the fact that they just innately get each other bc due to their shared like outsider/insider status albeit for diff reasons when it comes to the family business.

Better Version - Sabrina Claudio

So, I actually have @narcolini to thank for this life ruining song bc even though Lana was the introduction, this was the song that really solidified the madness. Like I don’t know that I would’ve continued writing for them, were it not for this song bc I shit you not, it could’ve been written for the Movie In My Head for a lush, slo-mo montage of their most tender moments, as Dina’s reminiscing on the good times while she’s actively planning her wedding to Claudio. Fíjate bien, mis compas:

More frequent visits would’ve been nice. But I don’t want you knowing that there’s somebody new. Sometimes the guilt will clog up my mind. But is it cheating if I love a better version of you? Cause he is perfect, everything I give him, he deserves it. Rarely does he ever come to see me. But any time he does, he makes it worth it, like I earned it. God, I love him. And when I’m with you, I can’t help myself but only think about him. I can’t wait to see him again. My god I miss him. And when I’m with you, I’m just thinking ‘bout how much I wish it was him. I can’t wait to see him again.

Granted, I don’t think Dina doesn’t love Claudio but she can’t help but still hold a candle for my boy, B. And she feeeeeels reaaaaaal extra fucking guilty any time she considers that Barrón might’ve been a better partner given the reality of the industry they’re in which she’ll find out the hard way. RIP to a homie, Claudio. Sosorry I have to keep your canon death in my Russian novel to further the goals of getting these two to bang it out and run off into the sunset together but you just didn’t shine quite like Our Boy at Christine’s, my dude. It’s okay, not everyone was made to be that cool under pressure sksks

lo que pasó - Nina Cobham

alright, so here's another life-ruining pick by @narcolini who tbh is like the co-compiler of this playlist I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that they've picked at least like 35% of the songs here and sent them to me for fevered, demented consumption sksks and I nearly fell to my knees the first time I heard it and DO YOU KNOW WHY????????? JUST A TAKE A GOTDAMN LOOK FOR YOURSELF:

Lo que pasó, ya no duele tanto Think that I can move on but I'm not sure ... what you want from me ... if you want from me Tú me has esperando tanto tiempo [You've waited for me for so long] Ya me tienes donde quieres [You have me where you want me] Y no te das cuenta [And you don't even realize]

in addition to,

Me dejas sin palabras. [You leave me speechless.] But what does it matter? If I told you how I'm feeling would you feel it too? I don't speak with so much fluency Words don't come so easily as they used to I think I got it but it's not it, and it throws me off You're a constant learning curve for me Pa' qué lo sabes How much, how much, could I make it any more obvious? ... Probably

I MEANNNNALSDKJF;ALKSJDFJ;AKJ can you think of another song that better captures Barrón's struggle to express himself in even the most casual, mundane situations and his tendency to compartmentalize his emotions in order to get through bc ew feelings, why would I ever deal with my trauma? are you mad? AND MANAGE TO DO THIS USING THE ALLEGORY OF ACHIEVING FLUENCY IN A LANGUAGE, IN THIS CASE BOTH THE SPANISH LANGUAGE AND THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE I'M GOING TO BE SICKDA;FLKSJD;FLAKJW;KLJ and it really just feeds into so many hcs I have in regards to their relationship like, 1) the whole fluency thing, the song's in both spanish and english, and they help each other improve in their respective languages as a way of bonding early on, 2) the tone of the song implies the object of interest/desire/heartache has the upper hand in the situation much like I think Dina would have the upper hand over Barrón bc she just would, 3) the whole "what/if you want from me" is justslkdjf;lskj saoooo0oooo Barrón, like he's not gonna act unless it's a sure thing, and at this point in the relationship despite the fact that all signs point to -> yes, you may, in fact, roll again, pass go, collect $200 dollars, she's crazy about you, hombre, do we need to hit you over the head with it for you to see he's second guessing whether Dina reciprocates Big Feelings Of Lust Love bc the class difference is so vast and he doesn't realize how actually Hot Shit he is, so he thinks it's literally insane to entertain the notion that Dina might very sensibly and understandably want to climb him like a jungle gym and any time he's close to giving way to hope and maybe broaching the topic with her, he clams back up and continues the cycle of self-inflicted torture like the good blorb he is

Cielo - Los York's

Aight, so the lyrics are sweet and romantic in a way that applies to most pairings, which means they don't speak to the Dinarrón Dynamic as much, but this song would be period-appropriate for the show and I just feel like Ramón insisted on there being a boombox in the office despite passionate protests by Mín, and everyone else who isn't filled to the brim with general anxiety and mild panic outvoted him, so now they have a boombox that's playing any time someone's there doing work. And this seems like something one of them would've played while working together at the warehouse.

Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush

This is a bit of a weird one? I guess it's less them and more Dina's POV about them. It's also contemporary the show and here's no way Dina's not into Kate Bush. I refuse to believe it. The best way I can explain why this made it on the playlist is by describing the scene in my head when I listen to it: Dina's standing at a window, looking out at the backyard of the Arellano house, contemplating the meaning of life. It's a rare cloudy day in TJ. She's newly engaged to Claudio (think early S3 long hair Dina but this would be set before S3 starts), Barrón has cried weeeweewee all the way back to the Imperial Desert to escape the crippling heartbreak of seeing her every day, knowing they'll never be together 'cause she's marrying an Actually Decent, If Not Boiler Plate dude with more status and money than he'll ever have train his dudes in the ways of paramilitary tactics, and their last convo ended somewhat tensely with him pointing out that in order to marry this guy, she'll probably have to give up any ambitions of serving the family biz in the way she always wanted bc of blahblahblah murrhsdlkjfs gEnDeR rOLeS. And right now, she's finding herself missing Barrón, wondering where he is, resenting herself for missing him and wondering where he is, resenting him for being right about giving up her ambitions, scared that him being right is going to make her resent Claudio over time and ruin their marriage, and just overall wishing he were there so she could make him understan, and what if the only way to do that is to switch places a la:

It doesn't hurt me Do you wanna feel how it feels? Do you wanna know, wanna know that it doesn't hurt me? Do you wanna hear about the deal that I'm making? You, it's you and me. And if I only could, I'd make a deal with God and get Him to swap our places. Be running up that road, be running up that hill, be running up that building.

Like^^ all that is going through her mind, staring out the window. How can she make him understand? and lowkey realizing the only way might be for them to Freaky Friday that shit skskjdlkj

You don't wanna hurt me. But see how deep the bullet lies. Unaware, I'm tearing you asunder. Oh, there is thunder in our hearts. Is there so much hate for the ones we love? Oh, tell me we both matter, don't we? You, it's you and me. It's you and me, you won't be unhappy. Come on baby, come on darling. Let me steal this moment from you now. Come on angel, come on, come on darling. Let's exchange the experience, oh.

^^ this part slaps particularly hard for the "Is there so much hate for the ones we love? Tell me we both matter" bc Dina gets that poor Davidito is having a rough time. It hurts her to hurt him this way, but she's also a bit, "Can you not find it in your heart not to hate/be mad at me? It's not like I didn't think about this decision entensively and arrive at the conclusion that sacrificing my professional goals is worth it to further the goals of teh family and I do forrealsies love this guy. Like damn, can a woman get a break pls. also pls don't hate me cuzIstillloveyoukbye"

El Muerto - Los Muchachos

god, I could write an actual fucking PhD dissertation on why this song is emblematic of my boy but this is alreayd long asf so I'll just break it down like this.

Mi gente la espalda me cuida [(I know) my people got my back] En cualquier misión suicida [on any suicide mission] Que todos con todos lo que ando son soldados [That all those I roll with are soldiers] Un hermano está en la fría, [A brother out in the cold] Otro hermano ya está arriba [another already above] Y lo que quiero es tenerlo aquí por mi lado [All I want is him here by my side] Pa' fumarnos un cigarro de maría [to smoke a joint] Como antes lo que hacíamos [like we used to do] Cuando la vida no era tan complicada [back when life wasn't so complicated]

Obviously, color me inconsolable bc of the brother references and how well it lines up with Bugsy, out in the cold (in prison for life) and Matteo, already upstairs (BC THEY KILT MY BABY BOI DEAD) but it all began with the opening lines aka clearly Barrón's sentiments upon hearing of Dina's engagement, "Pensaban que estaba muerto pero solo andaba de parranda. Sí me fui de la ciudad fue para curar mi dolor interno" which like.... so, maybe he doesn't actually flee Tijuana without telling anyone, is gone long enough for the Arellanos to wonder if he didn't somehow get himself killed, and turn out to really just be on a bender bc he needed to escape the deep anguish and personal devastation of losing his lady love ... but that doesn't mean he didn't consider it as an option very, very seriously

Killing Me - Omar Apollo

Another @narcolini pick, and this one has it all when it comes to Barrón internal strife and turmoil: questioning his sanity for being in the Business of Crimes, thinking bout how Dina's prob the only person he feels comfortable revealing himself to in any capacity except Bugsy, thinking about how that gives her way too much power over him and is tehrefore fucking terrifying, and daydreaming of making sweet, sweet love to the Woman of His Dreams. For your consideration:

There ain't nobody but us. Love me like I'm gonna die. Fuck me like you fantasize. Touch me like you know you provide to, ain't one to lie to, just wanna slide through, oh What I do makes me if I wonder if I'm alright Holding back feelings like it's the end of my life That's right, you're killing me

Lejos de Ti - Julio Jaramillo

Tbh I can't remember if I actually got this from the OG soundtrack but this is another one that is pretty self explanatory and is highly not!anachronistic. There's a few other songs on my list that rank as contenders for whatever would play in the end credits of the Dinarrón movie that's constantly playing on repeat in a projector in my brain, but this is the first one or maybe it'd be the end credits of an episode of an HBO miniseries? idk. what you guys think

Call Me In the Day - La Luz

Uhhhhhh, I can't even begin to unpack how close this song is to my heart in the Dinarrón pantheon, except to say that if I were to film the warehouse makeout scene that I wrote in Always Short to the Gate, this would be playing over it. Also, Léo RIP to a baddie dancing with Teresa in the Bolivia episode of Queen of the South polluted my mind and the sexy made it's way to Dinarrón so really, I can accept exactly no credit here

NO HAY LAY - Kali Uchis

GODDDLSKDJF;LSKJD;LKAJ okay, this is another song that inspired an elaborate scenelet in my head, which takes place after they get together but before the brothers are aware of it, so they're keeping the relationship under wraps. And as a result, this song is playing while they're getting freaky on the dancefloor yes I have a thing with dancing and these two and I have no answers or explanations except that imsorryforeverything of some trendy nightlclub that the Arellanos don't own that's like 100 miles away from TJ that they escaped off to, so they could be an real couple aka all googly eyed and loveydovey in the open. It's basically their version of date-night that's gotta be date-night on the DL bc they're both scared that if the brothers knew about it, Ramón would cut Barrón's face off and wear it to his birthday party, at the behest of Mín who is decidedly Not B's Biggest Fan at this point in the story.

If it feels so right why say it's wrong, I know you ain't had enough Sabes que yo soy la única [You know I'm the only one] que puede hacerte cosas mágicas [who can do magical things to you] Hey, en el amor no hay ley [In love there is no law] Y deja que nos miren si quieren [And let them see what they want] No matter what we do, no matter what they sayNo importa lo que digan [I don't care what they say] Yo te besaré otra vez, otra vez, otra vez [I'm gonna kiss you again, and again, and again] Bésame otra vez [Kiss me again]

For Your Precious Love - Otis Redding

I meannnnnn this legend speaks for himself, I feel like I shouldn't have to explain anything other than, pretend they got married and this is the song of their first dance and try not to throw yourself on the floor, screaming and crying. You can't

DNA - Tabi

This is more a Dina one, than a Dinarrón one, that feels like what her internal dialogue might be if she either fell out of love with Claudio after being married for some time, or began to resent him and the marriage and her having to give up her place in the AFO to play dutiful wife to someone in the public eye, or both? Like it's essentially her trying to force herself to be happy playing a role she didn't really ask for, and then eventually recognizing her independence will always be a priority to her and affirming her own need for autonomy is not something she's going to be able to suppress, no matter how hard she tries, that's just how she is and that's exactly why we love her

DNA, I don't need anybody DNA, sometimes I wish that I could change my ways I wanna need you, but I, I wanna need you, but I It's just my DNA

Banquetera - West Gold with Simpson Ahuevo

This one's mostly for the homies, specifically Barrón's homies Chato and Ziggy. The song itself is contemporary, but honestly, if we were going for period accuracy and this was in the Dinarrón Double Feature soundtrack, I would never know it was anachronistic. Like shit is right at home next to Tupac and Easy E, y'know

corazón caramelo - November Ultra

good GODDAMN okay, another @narcolini choice, that actually made me cry sksldkjfskldjflsk not just bc of the clear Dinarrón parallels but also due to Just General Life Heartache, Suffering, and Existential Dread and the LongSTanding Recovery from My Divorce That Yes, Happened 2 Years Ago But Still Hits Sometimes and is one you, dear Reader all 2 of you should listen to for the fucking out-of-this-world, actually-unreal vocal performance by November Ultra that really hammers home these actually-unreal lyrics:

Un amor como el primero [A love like the first] Pero que dure hasta el final [But lasts until the end] Mi alma es tuya, bájala de la cruz [My soul is yours, take it down from the cross] Si yo soy luna, tú eres el sol que me da luz [If I am the moon, you are the son that gives me light]

Ídolo - Adrian Quesada with Angélica Garcia

Another contender for a closing credits song and- y'know all these closing credits songs are so good, maybe I should just settle on this being a miniseries and not just a movie. We'll see what Netflix execs have to say on the matter when I inevitably write this script and clearly shop it to all the big streaming platforms and tv networks and everyone is fighting each other, full Spy vs Spy, to produce this award-win- er okay, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, here. There's something about the organ that makes this feel period-appropriate, despite it being a modern song, and I can just see all the pickup shots of San Diego and Tijuana, before it cuts to Dina and Barrón driving in some classic car, top down bc it's a convertible obvio, and quite litrally riding off into the desert-framed sunset. I mean,

En mis horas turbulentas solo oigo tu voz [In troubled hours I only hear your voice] Embrujada con potencia que hemos probado los dos [Bewitched with power we have both shared] Sombra tan bella [Shadow so beautiful] Que cobra mi voluntad pa' conocerlo [It steals my will not to know you] Ídolo, mi ídolo [Idol, my idol] Me robaste la cordura [You rob me of my sanity]

1994 - United Freedom Collective ft. Jordan Stephens

In order to fend off the doubling over in pain that I always do when I think about what this song means to Dinarrón for any length of time, I'll just say, this is how Matty feels thinking about Barrón, and how Barrón feels about Bugsy and none of it works out the way they want it to

When I look at my little brother, I feel an awful urge to smother him I wanna bubble wrap his organs Stick styrofoam in his pity Funnel sunlight into his solar plexus Turn every fall into a ball pit But I know that one day that little scooter's gonna turn into desire And much like what I just witnessed, he'll be unable to break He'll break and I'll have to watch salt crystallize on his cheeks knowing it'll have more value than any cushion I've sown myself I dream of a version of him in the future Tumbling around rock bottom, stranded there in the deep Maroons and wounds he can't touch A bruise has got its own life Every wound is in arrears It hurts and it hurts, then it disappears

Corderio De Nanã - Os Tincoãs & Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto

Bc this Russian novel/Movie/Show In My Head is actually more of a Barrón biopic since I've hijacked him and essentially acted like the man's my OC instead of someone who was on the show skskjsk and in this Barrón biopic, there's a part where he lives in Hawaii briefly bc his Garbage!Father is in the navy and gets stationed there for a little while. And despite the fact that Kyu Sakamoto is Japanese and Os Tincoãs is Brazilian and not remotely Pacific Islander in any way, let alone Hawaiian one or both of these are 1000% going to be playing over a montage of Matteo, Barrón, and Bugsy riding their bikes on the beach and just generally adventuring around the island, as three brothers should. It's pre-gang initiation for Matteo, so it's them at their purest, most undiluted little kid selves Barrón looks back on this time so fondly he actually refuses to think about it bc the nostalgia is physically painful. Also, both songs are pretty cheerful and breezy sounding but can't speak to the lyrics bc the first I'm p sure is in Portuguese and the second is in Japanese so they could be all doom and gloom and I just have no idea ksksks

Cerca De Ti - Hermanos Gutiérrez

Once again, I'll refrain from going full Charlie Kelly/Pepe Silva on everyone here, but what I can say is just.... just picture, Dina and Barrón, at the beach, at night, they decide to go swimming naked in the ocean under the light of the full moon. I'll let you fill in the rest sdlkfjskd

Sage Motel - Monophonics ft. Kelly Finnigan

The final (I think?) contender for the closing credits song. Tbh this song just oozes sexy in a throwback way, in the same vein as like a Smokey Robinson or a Sam Cooke, and would be right at home in a Scorsese movie, which makes it more than qualified to feature in the end credits of the Movie-In-My-Head that will probnever happen lbr, like I'll be lucky if I even post 1/3 of what I've written skdjksjd

Over-the-Ocean Call - Lizzy McAlpine

Go ahead and throw this one on and imagine Dina calling Barrón while he's doing this paramilitary cry-fest training in the desert pretending he's not sobbing into his cheerios every morning Dina doesn't exist, and she needs to, idk, talk about some wedding details or something, maybe coordinate where he's gonna be during the ceremony and whatnot bc he's head security so poor mf's like contractually obligated to be there skskksjdkj and this sentiment is exactly where Dina's at. Throw this shit on and think about that not-at-all angsty scenario bc that's what @narcolini did before sending it to me, for me to turn around immediately and do the exact same thing. I mean, c'mon.

And you hate the things I do and sometimes you hate me But I think my mind is far away, sorta strange, this is But I think I'll call you anyway Call collect 'Cause baby this is, an over-the-ocean call And I thought I could make it short But my brain's all outta sorts, I can't hide it I'm staring at the my wall and I thought that I wouldn't cry But breaking your heart breaks mine I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine I'll call from over the ocean This time, this time, this time I'll break your heart through the phone With an over-the-ocean call Is how I told him, this isn't working anymore

You Make Your Own Heaven And Hell - The Temptations

Now, I have quite a few end credits songs, but this is the only opening credits song bc the little scenelet in my head with this song is just so perfect, idk if I could find a better way to start. It'd be similar to that asslong shot at the beginning of Jackie Brown that's literally just Jackie (played by the iconic Pam Grier and honestly, even if you don't like Tarantino, you should watch Jackie Brown for Madame Grier alone bc she's incredible) on the little conveyer belt in the airport (she's a flight attendant) trying to make it to her next flight. I think I'd do something like that with a few pickup shots right before of Logan Heights and San Diego, to introduce the neighborhood, like where B grew up. Not only is the song perfect vibes-wise, but the lyrics are so perfectly aligned to what I've essentially sksks decided are Barrón's beliefs about making money and what it takes to get by and be successful in America (and later, Mexico, ofc) and his general philosophy on being a criminalsksk

Time passes and your values change Life becomes a strange, confusing game Suddenly, you want the finer things in life But you find it takes lots of hard work and sacrifice Now you're standing at the crossroads of life To satisfy your personal wants, will you do wrong or will you do right? Life is a giant, invisible scale with two sides: good and bad You and your beliefs are the weights The things you do each day determine the balance Your conscience is a flawless judge and jury, and the only question is what do you want? I'm tellin' you the natural facts, for what it's worth You make your own heaven and hell, right here on Earth

we've been loving in silence - MARO

So, if we were to continue the Stealing-Away-Into-the-Night scenario that I proposed above for Kali Uchi's No Hay Ley, and fast forward to Barrón and Dina in some random roadside, pay-by-the-hour motel room waking up next to each other. Dawn's barely broken, Dina's laying on her stomach, and Barrón's on his side, facing her, tracing the liines of her shoulder blades with his fingertips ......, and I'm dying, and I'm dead, and I'm typing this from beyondthe grave rn, I actaully cannot continue to soldier on, so I'll just leave you with that and this:

Oh, we've been here for a while Haven't seen the sun come out Oh, we've been loving in silence, drawing with our bodies Oh, I feel like running again, yeah, I feel like running again Oh, I wanna do it again, yeah, I wanna do it again Every crooked line in your back feels like part of me Your story's in my fingers, you'll never wash away Oh, we've found some secret smiles Haven't heard the rain come down Oh, we've been loving in silence, talking with our bodies

═

taglist: @narcosfandomdiscord @narcolini @ashlingnarcos @drabbles-mc @artemiseamoon

#naroctober #day of amnesty #enedina arellano félix #david barrón corona #dinarrón #day of music #narcos mexico #narcos #netflix narcos mexico #netflix narcos #character inspo #character playlist #Spotify

[khoicesbyk]

The Royal Romance.

Love Everlasting.

A/N: I had a different name and plot for this fic over a year ago. But after being in the RP community for more than a year, I've decided to write the current Royal Life of my favorite OTP.

Rated: Mature (at times can and will be Explicit. I'll be sure to change the rating when and if that happens). | Contains sexual content and strong language. (You know? The usual. Y'all should be used to this from me by now 😁) | Bolded and/or italicized words are conversations and thoughts of the characters. | Main Characters: King Marquise Rys (LI) and Queen Shanelle Miller-Rys (MC) | All Characters and names: (except MC and original characters created by me and/or other authors [their characters have been mentioned and/or used in the story with their permission] ) are property of Pixelberry.

Current Word Count: 50K words. (may be slightly more or may be slightly less. Look, I stop counting after editing and re-editing and driving myself insane. 🤷🏾‍♀️)

If you’d like to be added to my tag list. Just reblog or dm me and I will gladly add you! 😁😘

This series is rated Mature and/or Explicit. It is NOT reading material that is safe for those under 18. Reader discretion is STRONGLY advised!

Missing a chapter or want to read a chapter again? I got you covered! Click ——> Here!

Tag List: @choicesficwriterscreations

Matrimony. Part 5.

“What am I supposed to do with these?” he asked.

“Yup. I shoulda pushed harder for you to take Sex Ed when they offered it,”  she replies.

“You serious?” he asked.

“We're drunk. And the tension is steadily rising. Besides, this is your last hurrah, Hotshot. Take it or leave it,” she replies.

“Man, I'm gonna enjoy this.”.

She grabbed him by his hair and kissed him. He was shocked and turned on at the same time. He broke their kiss so he could breathe.

"Well, that was fun.” 

"You've been wanting to do that since you saw me.”

"If he finds out—"

"He already knows. Next question."

"What do you mean he knows?" He asks.

"He knows that I'm about to turn you into a whore." She replies.

“How?” he asked 

"Who do you think set this all up genius?” she replied. 

Cass made a face. 

"Damn! There go my bragging rights.” 

"Blah! Blah! Blah! Get naked!"

He shook his head at her before kissing her again. He couldn't wait to have her. And he didn't care how that looked. He picked her up, wrapped her legs around his waist, and carried her back into the bedroom.

"I...have...been...dying...to...fuck...you!" He said in between kisses.

"You talk too much!"

"You love it."

It didn't take them long to get each other naked. He took a moment to admire her naked body.

"Like what you see?" She asked with a wink.

"Of course. You've always been beautiful." He whispered.

He went from kissing her to going straight to the treasure between her thighs. The one thing she lives about him is didn't waste time. He had to taste her again. It had been years since he had her like this. So he went straight for her center and buried his face in it. He licked, sucked, nibbled, and kissed her sweet snatch all the while rubbing his face in it, making sure he was coated with her juices. She moaned loudly as he ate her out. 

Once her thighs started to close around his neck he knew she was going to break. So he grabbed her thighs and plunged his tongue inside her. He felt her body shake as she screamed again and flooded his face with her nectar. He looked at her smiling as she caught her breath. He was happy because he knew he still got it.

"Sweet as sugar." He said as he licked his fingers.

She rolled her eyes.

"Don't get cocky. You still haven't proven anything."

"Don't believe me just watch!"

"Have I mentioned that you talk too much?" She asked.

Rather than answer her, he kisses her hard before grabbing her and flipping her onto her stomach then mounting her. With a condom on, Cassian was ready to take her right then and there.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!" She dared him.

It was on then.

He closed his eyes then drove himself straight into her and began fucking her senseless. He wanted her to know and feel how he missed her. He pounded that sweet treasure for what he felt was an eternity. The sounds their bodies made as he crashed into her again and again coupled with her feminine scent made him dizzy.

"Don't you dare slow down! Give it to me!" She shouted.

He intensified his rhythm just for her.

"That's my girl! Tell me you want this dick!" He growled.

He loves hearing her scream bloody murder as he took her. She was close to her climax and he knew it because he was as well. That's when she screamed at the very top of her lungs and unloaded onto him. She felt so damn good to him.

He stayed still for a moment before pulling out of her. He marveled at the sight before him. They were both exhausted and satisfied. He curled up with her in his arms. Just the way he always wanted.

"I feel like a whore!” he said to her.

"You are a whore, Cass.”

He grumbled. 

"This is the way, it should be. It should be you and me."

"It should be but it is Cass. As much as we love each other, we never would've gone the distance.”

He sighed.

"I know but still. I was never ready to let you go."

“Likewise. But holding on to you wouldn't have been fair to either of us. Besides, what's done is done. I don't hate you. I will always cherish what we had and what we were.”

"You could always back out and come back to me.”

"I could. But I've come too far now. I am way too close to destiny. Too close to my destiny. I can't leave now.” she replied.

Case shook his head.

"You've always been an overachiever, Princess.”

"Always will be.”

She let his sword necklace play with the pads of her fingers.

"I will never forget the look on your face when I gave you this.”

"Yeah. That's because you made me feel like an ass because I didn't get you anything.”

"I do believe I told you that I didn't want anything when we graduated. I had you. That was all I wanted.”

"I know but I could've at least bought you flowers or something.”

"With the pay from that janky ass job you used to have?" she asks.

"I made good money at that job!" he replies.

"You got paid in peanuts Dumbo. Hell, Lo made more money at his first job than you did at yours.”

He pinched her.

"Ow! Jackass!" she sneered.

He kissed the spot he pinched.

"Better?" he asks.

"Maybe," she replied.

He shook his head before he kissed her again.

"So where do we go from here?" he asked.

"We stay here like this," she replies.

“What about Nina and Chut?” he asked.

“Knowing them, they're drunk and are more than likely too busy entertaining their own company to give a fuck about what or who I’m doing. So I’m going to enjoy whatever time I have left with you before you have to leave,” she replied. 

"Smartest thing you've said!"

She groaned as she snuggled in his arms. When she woke up the next morning he was gone but he left her a single red rose. She knew their relationship was over and so did he but they still cared for each other and for her, that was more than enough. 

The next 2 months were a blur to her. Appointments, fittings, tours of the venues, and things of the like. She felt like her head would explode. But this was it, her wedding was fast approaching. So the last-minute mad dash to finalize and pay for everything was to be expected. She was in her room at her parent's house with her head in Nina’s lap as she scratched her scalp.

“Nobody does that like you,” Shanelle said to her.

“What?” Nina asked.

“Soothe my soul by scratching my scalp,” Shanelle replied.

Nina snickers.

“This is why you're a spoiled brat.” 

That's when they heard a yelp and something fall in the closet.

“Chut! You alright in there?” Shanelle asked. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Question! Why do you put your shoes at the top?! You know my arms are short and can't reach!” Chut replies.

Nina and Shanelle cackled.

“Poor little miss mushroom.” Shanelle teased.

Chut finally emerged from the closet with her arms full of clothes. 

“This is why we shop in your closet, Nelle. Now if you two will excuse me. I have clothes to try on.” Chut said before going into her bathroom. Shanelle shook her head with a smile.

“I love her innocence.”

“Chur? Innocent? Are we talking about the same person?” Nina asked.

“Okay between the three of us, she's the most innocent,” Shanelle replies.

“Much better.”

Just then there was a knock at the bedroom door. 

“It's open!” Shanelle said to the door.

In walked the rest of the girls.

“The gang of whores is all here!” Shanelle teased. 

The girls groaned while Nina laughed. 

“Y’all love me!”

Chutney walked out of Shanelle’s bathroom wearing one of her old dresses.

“Hey y'all!” she said to the girls before looking at Shanelle, “okay Nelle. Whaddya think? How does it look? Does it make my ass look big?” 

“Dump truck,” Shanelle replied.

“Meep meep!” Nina added.

“That's RoadRunner genius!” 

The girls laughed. 

“But to answer your question baby, it looks better on you than it ever did on me.”

“Can I have it?” Chut asked.

“It's yours,” Shanelle replied.

Chut squealed.

“Thank you, Princess! I have a few more things to try on.” Chut said before going back into the bathroom.

“That was your dress?” Bron asked.

Shanelle nodded.

“Yup. I've only worn it once. That's how I am. I wear an outfit once and then put it in my closet and never wear it again. Most of the clothes in the closet here are things I don't care for anymore.” she replies.

Bron had a curious look on her face as she glanced at the closet. 

“Go for it, baby. Whatever you find in the closet that fits is yours to keep.” 

The girls scrambled into the closet to find whatever outfits they could. It's not every day that a future Queen offers her closet to those around her.

“You've always been that way,” Nina said to her. 

“What way?” Shanelle asked.

“Always giving to the less fortunate,” Nina replies.

Shanelle shook her head with a smile.

“Why aren't you in there looking for something?” Shanelle asked.

“Too much traffic. I like shopping in your closet when there's no one here but you and me.” Nina replies.

Shanelle snickered. 

“Fair enough.” 

The girls emerged each with their arms full of clothes.

“Princess, you have a strappy pair of tan Manolos that I had my eye on,” Bron said to her. 

“Take them. They're yours now.” Shanelle said.

“Seriously?” Bron asked. 

“Yes seriously,” Shanelle replies.

“Thank you, Nelle!” 

Shanelle smiled at her. Soon the girls were fluttering around her room trying on and trading different outfits. 

“I love these Manolos but I can't find anything that goes with them.” Bron pouted. 

Shanelle thought for a second.

“Dee let me see that burgundy halter dress that you didn't want,” Shanelle said to her.

Dee passed her the halter dress. Shanelle took the dress and placed it in front of Bronwyn.

“And now we need accessories,” Shanelle said before setting the dress down on her bed and going to her jewelry box. She pulled out a pair of diamond earrings and a diamond tennis bracelet both in gold settings.

“And finally…” Shanelle said before she plucked a gold fashion belt out of a drawer. 

“And voila! Now go try everything on.” Shanelle said to Bronwyn. 

Bronwyn ducked into the bathroom and came out a few minutes later. The girls were impressed.

“Damn!” the girls said in unison.

“You look beautiful, baby,” Shanelle said to her. 

“Thank you, Nelle. I can't wait for Lo to see me in it. I can't wait for him to rip it off of me.”

“I can guarantee you that you won't let him rip a $3,500.00 outfit off of you.”

“A $3,500.00 outfit?!” Bronwyn asks.

“The shoes are custom Manolos from the flagship boutique downtown, they're $1,000.00. That dress is a custom-made Versace dress that is $2,000.00. And your accessories are $500.00.” Shanelle replied.

Bronwyn’s jaw was on the floor as she looked at herself in the mirror. 

“I'm wearing $3,500.00 worth of clothes and accessories?!” she asked.

“Welcome to the perks of being the best friend of a real live Princess,” Shanelle replied.

“I've never had anything this expensive,” Bronwyn admitted.

“Well get used to it. Because I always share with my friends.”

“Thank you, Nelle. Now I gotta go show Lo. He’ll lose his shit when he sees me.”

“Where is my brother?” Nina asked.

“In the kitchen with the boys and Nelle’s mom,” Bronwyn replies.

Shanelle, Nina, and Chutney froze.

“The boys are in the kitchen?” Chut asked.

“With mom?” Nina asked.

“While she's cooking?” Shanelle asked.

“Yes, yes, and yes,” Bronwyn replied.

They winced. 

“Oh, God! Come on y'all. We gotta go save the boys.” 

“Why? What's wrong?” Bronwyn asked.

“Knowing my mama and how she runs her kitchen when she's doing a big family meal, she's got the boys doing all her cooking prep,” Shanelle replied.

The girls looked at each other before they all scrambled out the door to the kitchen. Sure enough, Shantel had the boys hard at work, while she sat at the kitchen table supervising.

“Momma!” Shanelle fussed. 

“Yes?” Shantel replied.

“Why do you have them doing all the prep, mom?” Nina asked.

“Because they were in here pestering me. And you know the rules Nina. If you're gonna stay in the kitchen while I’m in here cooking, you're gonna work. Isn't that right Logan?” Shantel asked.

She had the boys in gloves and aprons working in the kitchen. 

“Yep,” Logan replied as he chopped onions.

The girls dissolved into cackles.

“Look at the men being all types of domesticated!” Shanelle teases. 

“Mom, is this enough onions?” Logan asked Shantel.

“Yes, that's enough onions for now. Thank you, honey.” Shantel replies. “Now, go light the grill and pull the jerk chicken out of the outdoor fridge for me.”

“Yes ma'am!” 

Logan ran out to the backyard to light the grill. The girls sat around the kitchen table and watched the boys work.

“Where is Daddy, mom?” Shanelle asked.

“In his office making final payments for everything,” Shantel replies.

“I can't believe the wedding is next week!” Aly said.

“Believe it, sweetie. It's here. It's happening. You girls will look stunning.” Shantel said. 

Damien emerged from his office with a stretch.

“Well, everything is paid for in full. Which means by this time Monday, I will be at the Embassy officially welcoming Cordonian Royalty, Dignitaries, and Diplomats,” he said before pulling his daughter to her feet, “and by this time next Saturday you, my gorgeous girl will be a Queen. Not a Princess, not a Regent, a Queen” 

“Are you excited Daddy?” Shanelle asked her father. 

“Of course. I hate the thought of giving you away but you've earned this.” Damien replied.

Shanelle smiled softly at her dad, just as Logan came back into the house. 

“Okay so the grill is lit and heating up and the chicken is sitting on the counter,” Logan announced. 

“And that's my cue. Now, what's being grilled?” Damien asked.

“Jerk Chicken, Pop,” Logan replies.

“Perfect. Since Shantel has had you on cooking prep, do you want a way out of it?” Damien asked Logan. 

“How?” Logan replied.

“You grill, I supervise.” 

“Say no more!” Logan said before heading back outside. 

Shanelle shook her head with a smirk. 

“You and mom are the worst. Always making us do the work.”

“Of course. Free labor is the best labor.” Damien said before heading outside. 

“Well, there went my plan to show Lo my new outfit.” Bron pouted. 

“I'm sorry sweetie. But when it comes to my Jerk Chicken, nothing stops Logan.”

“He told me how good it is. I can't wait to try it.”

“Girl you are in for it! Mom can throw it down in the kitchen.” Chut quipped.

“Thank you, my sweet girl. You've been eating it for years.” Shantel replied before she turned her attention to the rest of the boys in the kitchen, “alright, fellas! Let's see what you have done so far.”

After all the prep, baking, cooking and grilling was done, it was time for everyone to eat. Even a surprise guest.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Marquise said

“Not at all Your Regency. You’re about to be family. What are you doing here?” Shantel asked. 

“My business in Cordonia is done so I came westward. I was on my way to Boston but I thought I’d stop by before heading that way.”

Shantel raised an eyebrow at him.

“You wanted to see the bride before the wedding, didn't you?” Shantel asked.

Marquise awkwardly cleared his throat.

“…maybe,” he replied. 

Shantel shook her head.

“Grab a plate everyone so we can eat!” Shantel announced.

Soon everyone dug into the food that was prepared. 

“Mom! Mom?” Bron asked.

“Yes, baby?” Shantel replied.

“Can I have your Jerk Chicken recipe, please? This is amazing!”

“Of course, lovebug. I will send each of you girls a book with all my recipes.” 

Everyone continued eating and as the night wound down, Marquise pulled his future bride aside.

“Walk outside with me?” he asked.

She simply smiled as they stepped outside for a moment. When Marquise was sure no one was looking, he planted Shanelle with a kiss. When their kiss broke, both were breathing hard.

“I have been dying to do that since I walked through the door.”

“Are you saying you haven't enjoyed spending time with me and my family, Your Regency?” Shanelle asked.

“I had loads of fun. After all, your family is about to be my family. But I've been away from you long enough. So why don't we hop on a jet to Boston?” he asked. 

“I'd like that. Besides, I miss Ozzie. I think I've had him boarded long enough.” she replied.

“Leave in the morning?” he asked.

“Deal,” she replies.

“Good. Now your mother made a sweet potato pie. I have not had one in years. I am very much looking forward to this.”

“Don't be shocked if you wind up addicted.”

“I'm counting on it.”

They headed back inside and that is how he became addicted to her mom’s sweet potato pie. The next morning they landed in Boston and picked up Ozzie from the kennel before going to the brownstone. 

“It feels good to be back,” he said as they lay on the couch together with Ozzie at their feet. 

“It feels good to do this again. I missed you.” 

He nibbled on her earlobe. 

“I've missed you too, my love.”

“Just think. We’ll be waking up next week as a married couple.”

“And as Monarchs,” he added. 

“I know. Everything we've worked for will come to fruition next week.” 

“You’re amazing. You know that right?” 

She blushed.

“I wish you'd stop that.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Because I can seriously get used to it,” she replies.

“You should. Do you know why?” he asked.

“Why?” she replied.

“Because you deserve to be praised for the amazing woman that you are.”

Shanelle shook her head with a smile. 

“Never forget one thing.”

“Hmm?” she asked.

“I love you, my Queen.”

“I love you too, handsome.” 

This was it, in a few short days, the Prince and Princess would be husband and wife. Both were nervous and excited. The next week flew past them and before they knew it, it was their wedding day. 

They flew back to New York that Friday and spent the night in separate quarters. He stayed at the Embassy and she stayed at home. 

The morning of the wedding was insane but invigorating. After having breakfast, Shanelle watched her mom and her get dressed. While the guys and her dad headed to the palace to get dressed with Marquise.

“I feel like a princess!” Shantel squealed.

“You sure act like one mom.” Nina said.

“Bye girl! What do you think, Nelle?” Shantel asks.

“You look stunning momma.” She replies with a smile.

“Thank you, my baby. Now will you tell your best friend that?”

They laughed together.

“It fills my heart to have all my girls in one room.” Shantel said with tears in her eyes.

“Awww mom!” They said in unison.

They hugged her.

“Okay! Okay! Enough tears from me.”

Shanelle smiled at her mom before looking towards the garment bag with her wedding dress in it. Shantel laid a hand on her shoulder.

“This is it Butterfly. Are you ready?” Shantel asked.

“As I'll ever be mama,” Shanelle replied.

“Let’s get you dressed then,” Shantel announced.

Between giggles and tears, it took the girls 30 minutes to get Shanelle all ready. And when it was all said and done Shanelle stood in front of a floor-length mirror and marveled at her dress.

“It's beautiful. Ingrid did fantastically.”

“Yes, she did. You look stunning.” Shantel said to her. 

“Thank you, mom. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect gown.”

Shantel took Shanelle’s trembling hands into her own. 

“I am so proud of you my baby. You are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime. You, my beautiful, smart, amazing, courageous, loving little girl are moments away from being a Queen. The same little girl whose smile has always melted my heart will be a leader on the world's stage. You are my every dream come true. And I wish nothing but love and happiness for you.”

Shanelle squeezed her mother’s hands.

“Thank you, mom. I would never be able to do any of this without you or the girls by my side.”

That's when Damien walked in and was awestruck. 

“Oooh! Look at Pop looking spiffy in his teacher suit!” Chut said.

Damien bowed.

“Thank you Chutney. You girls look stunning in your gowns. Absolute visions!” Damien said to the girls before turning his attention to Shanelle and his wife, “and you two…my God! I am the luckiest man in the world. Today my Princess becomes a Queen. I could not ask for anything more.”

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“Do you all mind if I speak to Shanelle alone for a moment? I promise not to take too long.” Damien asks.

“Of course dear. Come on girls let's give them some time.” Shantel said before herding the girls out the door. 

Shanelle smiled at her father through the mirror as she sat down at her vanity. 

“Look at you my darling. Look at how beautiful you are. I am so proud of the woman you are and I am excited to see the Queen you will be. And I know somewhere in heaven, your grandparents are excited as well.”

Shanelle closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“I went about this wrong. And what's worse I hurt you. But my beautiful darling, I am so happy for today. Today I get to watch you marry the man you have…even if he is cocky.”

Shanelle laughed. 

“I have something for you, my Princess.”

“What is it Daddy?” she asked.

Damien produced a box from behind his back.

“What is that Daddy?” Shanelle asked.

“A gift I've been saving for this very special moment.” Damien replied as he opened the box.

Inside was a tiara with Canary and Blue Diamonds, with a pair of matching earrings, a necklace and cuffs.

“Where did you get these?” Shanelle asked in complete shock.

“These were your grandmother’s favorites. Her dying wish was for you to have them. She wanted you to wear them when you got married. And I am here as her son to make sure her wish is fulfilled. Would you do me the honor of wearing them today?” Damien replied.

“It would be my honor to represent Flower today, Daddy.”

Damien carefully helped Shanelle put on her jewelry.

“There. Now you look like the Queen the world deserves to know and admire.”

Shanelle stood up and hugged her father.

“Thank you so much, Daddy. Sure you went about this all wrong but in the end, you made my dream come true. I can never thank you enough.”

“Anything for you my sweet darling. Now let's get you to the church so you can get married.”

The two smiled at each other before heading out the door.

Meanwhile at the Embassy, Marquise had just finished getting dressed. He stood in front of the floor length mirror and had just buttoned his jacket when there was a knock at the door.

“A Royal Wedding In New York?” Leo asks as he stuck his head in.

“Leo! What are you doing here?” He replies.

“You know me. I love a good party. Especially when it's to stick it to the old man.”

“Yeah, I know. It's good to see you.”

The two embraced. 

“It's good to see you too, little brother.”

“Speaking of him, have you seen him?” Marquise asked.

“Briefly. I popped in to speak. And as per his usual, he expressed his displeasure.” Leo replied

“Of course he did. He's mad he's losing everything.” 

Leo looked over and noticed the cuff links Marquise had. They were of his mother’s coronation picture.

“You know mom is smiling right?” Leo asked. 

“Yeah I know. All I have ever wanted to do was make her proud.” Marquise replied.

“I think you've done that.” 

“Indeed he has. Ellie is overjoyed at this moment in our lives.” Margo said as she stepped into the room.

“Mom!” the boys said in unison.

“Look at my two handsome boys. It's so good to have you two together again. Welcome home, Leo.” 

Leo pulled her into a hug. 

“It's good to know that I can always come home. Also, it's good to see you too mom.”

Margo took the cuff links and put them on Marquise. 

“There. Now your look is complete.”

“Can you believe it, mom? Our baby is getting married!” Leo teased. 

Marquise rolled his eyes with a smirk.

“You're lucky I tolerate you.”

Just then George walked in.

“Leo my boy! It's good to see you!” he said before wrapping him in a bear hug.

“It's good to see you too Papa. You know I would never miss an event like this.”

George turned his attention to Marquise. 

“And you my boy! You are destined to do great things. You will be King in a few short moments. You are everything your mother and I could've ever hoped for. You are the savior the people have prayed for. And today, I get the honor of watching you marry the love of your life. The same way I married mine. You make me and your mothers proud my boy.” George said proudly. 

Marquise smiled gratefully. 

“Thank you. All of you. It means the world to me that you are here with me to share in this moment.”

“There's no place else we’d rather be,” Margo said. 

Marquiss smiled at her before there was a knock at the door. It was Constantine and Regina. 

“Well isn't this cute? His Regency’s chosen family and his actual family all in one room.” Regina sneered.

Leo scoffed. 

“Last time I checked I am his family.” Leo snapped at her. 

“I don't think I like your tone Julian,” Connie said to Leo.

“Get used to it.”

Connie took a deep breath. 

“Do you all mind if I talk to His Regency privately?” Constantine asks.

“They might not but I do. But since this is your final day as King, sure we can speak for a moment.” Marquise replies.

Connie scoffed. 

“How generous of you, Your Regency.” Connie sneered.

“Leo, would you be so kind as to take Mama and Papa to the church so they can take their places in the procession?” Marquise asked his brother. 

“They're in the procession?” Leo asked.

“Who do you think is representing me in my wedding?” Marquise replies.

“Of course! It would be an honor to escort His Regency’s representatives.” Leo said before pulling his brother into a loving hug. “I’ll see you at the church.”

Marquise nodded before Leo left the room. Soon it was him alone with his father and Regina. 

“Well don't you look dressed for the occasion, my son.” 

Marquise rolled his eyes.

“You've got two minutes to say whatever the hell it is you have to say then you and her can get out.” 

“Do you remember what I said to you a few months ago?” Connie asked.

“You mean the speech you gave me about you being a part of me and me being a part of you? What about it?” Marquise replies.

“You and this girl are about to inherit a kingdom. A kingdom mind you, that I spent my entire life building up. My legacy is now in your hands. Don't disappoint me.” 

“You're right. You did spend your whole life building Cordonia. But just like Julius Caesar did Rome, you destroyed it as well. If you came here to tell me again that we’ll always be alike, save it. Because you and I are nothing alike. I am and always will be better. I will be a better King, I will be a better Husband, I will always be a better Man, and God willing I have any one day, I will always be a better father than you could ever dream of being.” 

Connie scoffed. 

“You think you’re better than me?” Connie asked. 

“No, I know I’m better than you. Now get out!” Marquise hissed.

“The same way you pray for children one day is the same way you’d better pray that you never fail, my son.”

“You mean like you did?” Marquise asked.

Connie gave him one last look before he and Regina left. 20 minutes later there was another knock at the door. This time it was Damien. 

“Good morning Your Regency!” Damien said as he entered the room.

“Good morning Your Highness. Please come in.”

“Thank you. So today's the day.”

“Indeed it is.”

Marquise gestures for Damien to sit with him.

“How are you doing, son?” Damien asks.

Marquise let out a shaky breath.

“I’m nervous as hell and I know that I shouldn’t be.” he replies.

“No you definitely should be. Marriage is a precious commodity nowadays.”

“I know that. I’m marrying your daughter but I can’t seem to silence this one voice in my head.”

“What’s it saying?”

“What if I fail her?”

Damien nodded his head.

“Want some free advice?” he asked Marquise.

“Sure.”

“That’s the point, son. Marriage no matter what is not and never will be perfect. And you will fail. Both of you. But see, it’s in that failure that you realize how much you love each other. You won’t always get along. You’ll argue. You’ll fuss. You’ll fight. Hell, you’ll piss each other off. But you’ll put in the work to make it work. Not to make it perfect but to make it last.” Damien replied.

“You really think so?” Marquise asks him.

“I’ve been married for close to 29 years. And in those almost 29 years, I’ve yelled. I’ve gotten frustrated. I’ve even gotten annoyed…on more than one occasion. But mostly, I remembered the vow I made to Shantel in the eyes of the Lord.” He replies.

“What was that vow?” Marquise asks.

“I vowed before the Father to always love, honor, cherish, protect, provide and prosper with her. And I have. Has it always been easy? Hell no! That woman has pushed me to my limit more times than I could ever explain or count. But I remember the love I have for her. As my wife, my partner in life and especially as the mother of my child. And I remember that vow I made. And if you remember the vows you plan to make to my daughter, you’ll be alright son.” He replies.

“Thank you, Your Highness. I needed to hear that.”

“Of course Your Regency. Now let’s go get you and my daughter married.”

“It must really hurt you to say that.”

“You have no idea.”

Marquise smirked at him as they walked out the door and headed to the church. The same time as Shanelle and the bridal party. The bride and groom were ushered to separate waiting rooms as the ceremony got underway.

"All rise and remain standing as the entrants make their way into the sanctuary!" The herald announced.

Marquise took a deep breath as the Cordonian National Anthem started to play.

The bridal party was announced couple by couple. As were the representatives of the Regents.

"Announcing Mr. and Mrs. George Marcel Geaneaux. Representatives of His Regency and Sir Ozzie Barksworth of House Volterias!"

George and Margo walked the procession line with Ozzie on his leash. 

Next, it was time for her parents to be announced. 

"Announcing Duchess Shantel Noreen Fletcher-Miller and His Highness Prince Damien Thomas Miller of South Cordonia!"

"Prince of South Cordonia?" Shantel asks her husband as they made their way down the aisle to the altar. He winked at her in response. As they reached the altar Margo couldn't wait to greet Shantel.

"Isn't this exciting, Duchess?" Margo asks Shantel.

"Margo! Our kids are getting married! We will be family. This is such a great day!" Shantel replied. 

"Good luck, Your Highness." George said to Damien as he offered a handshake.

"Same to you George." Damien replied as he shook George's hand. 

Damien took his place and awaited Marquise and Shanelle.

Marquise squared his shoulders then inhaled and exhaled slowly as his entrance was announced and the doors opened.

"Introducing His Regency, Marquise Constantine Rys, Crown Prince of North Cordonia!"

Marquise looked out among the crowd as he walked down the aisle. He saw the faces of his allies and subjects.

As he walked the reality of what was going on finally hit him. He was about to marry the love of his life. When he reached the altar he was greeted by George and Margo. As well as Shanelle's parents.

"Oh honey you look so handsome!" Shantel said to him.

"I'm standing right here!" Damien sneered.

"I know, that's why I said it!"

Marquise snickered.

"Thank you, Duchess. You look beautiful as always."

"Are you two done fawning over each other?" Damien asks.

"Don't mind him. He's just having separation issues." Shantel replied.

Damien rolled his eyes before Marquise took his place beside him.

"Life as you know it is about to change. Are you ready son?" Damien whispered to him.

"As I'll ever be." Marquise replies.

The music soon changed from the Cordonian National Anthem to the Bridal March and the doors opened as the herald announced her entrance.

"Introducing Her Regency, Princess Shanelle Dominique Miller, Crown Princess of South Cordonia and Duchess Of Volterias!"

Shanelle swallowed the lump in her throat as she walked down the aisle. She knew all eyes were on her, her custom-made Ingrid Kozlov wedding gown and her grandmother's  jewelry, especially her tiara. 

When she got to the end of the aisle, she was greeted by her mother who was in tears.

"You look stunning, baby girl! Your grandmother would be so proud of you. Even more than I am." Shantel said to her. 

"Thank you, Mommy. Thank you for being here. I couldn't have done any of this without you." 

"There is no place I'd rather be, baby." 

The two smiled at each other as Damien stepped off the altar to greet his daughter. He took a deep breath before speaking to Shanelle. 

"You know as a father...I never thought the day would come where I'd have to give you away. But now that it has...I'm afraid it's a day that's come all too soon for me."

"Daddy...I'm okay. I promise I'll be alright." 

"I know baby...it's just..." Damien paused as he searched for the right words. "I have to let you go. And that's not easy. I have always been the one to protect you. Even when I screwed up with you. Even when you somehow found it in your heart to forgive me. And now, I have to give that privilege to someone else. And it hurts. God knows it hurts. But I trust you and your judgment and I trust him...kinda." 

"I heard that!" Marquise said in the background.

Shanelle chuckled softly. 

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, my Princess. Always and forever."

He kissed her on her forehead before taking his place again and watching her hand her bouquet to Nina before taking her place across from Marquise. 

"May you all be seated," Damien announced to the gathered crowd. 

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here today before the eyes of The Father our Lord and Savior, The Son Jesus Christ, and The Holy Ghost to bear witness to the marriage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Marquise Rys of North Cordonia and my daughter Princess Shanelle Miller of South Cordonia."

Shanelle smiled at Marquise and he winked at her. 

"As I told my soon-to-be son-in-law, marriage is a precious commodity nowadays. It's hard, it's tiring, it's strenuous and Lord knows it's frustrating." 

The crowd laughed. 

"But at its core, it's rich, it's fulfilling and when it's done right, it is long, loving, and everlasting. And it is my sincerest hope and belief that is what my daughter and Marquise will have."

Damien smiled at them both. 

"Now if you will all bow your heads in prayer," Damien instructed. 

"Gracious God, spirit of life and love, we ask all blessings upon Groom and Bride in their life together. May they be blessed with patience, to see them through times of tensions or conflict. May they be blessed with kindness, to enable them to nurture and care for one another in times of pain or sorrow. In your name Heavenly Father. Amen!" He prayed. 

"Amen!" The crowd replied. 

"Now I believe the bride and groom have written vows for each other and would like to recite them. Your Highness, since it is customary for the future Monarch to speak first, you may recite your vows first." Damien said to him. 

"Gee thanks!" Marquise replied. 

"You're welcome, son."

Marquise shook his head at Damien before looking at Shanelle. He took her shaking hands in his. 

"I will be the first to tell the world that I don't deserve you. Because to be quite honest, I don't. I don't deserve someone as beautiful and pure as you at all. But Cordonia does. You will be the first Queen since my mother to make a mark on this world and not just our kingdom. Shanelle...from the moment we met, I knew you were the one for me. Hell, I knew it before then. I fell head over heels in love with your mind, your determination, your heart, your spirit, your tenacity, your smile, your wicked sense of humor, and especially your abundance of love. You are standing here and are willingly taking a chance on love and me. And I want you to know that you are everything in the entire world to me."

Marquise took a deep breath before continuing. 

"I don't mean to put you on the spot but I need to ask you a question."

"Okay?" 

"I need to know, do you trust me?" he asked.

"Of course, I trust you," she replied. 

"Phew! Okay, good. Because had you said no I would've keeled over." 

The crowd laughed.

"Why?" she asks him.

"I asked because I do want you to marry me. Desperately. But I don't want you to marry me because of some convoluted sense of duty and honor to the Crown or the Kingdom. I don't even want you to marry me because you love me. And I certainly don't want you to marry me because of some goddamn betrothal agreement that our fathers and your uncle orchestrated and stuck us with." he replied. 

Shanelle snorted.

"I want you to marry me because you trust me.  I want you to marry me because you trust me with your heart, your life, your safety, and your love. I want you to marry me because you trust me to honor, to have and to hold, to cherish, to adore, to be devoted, to nurture, to protect, to defend, and because I will lay down my life for you. I want you to marry me because you trust me to love you the way you need to be loved, the way you deserve to be loved. I want you to marry me because you trust me to always make you smile and to always put you first, and always choose you and only you. Even if you choose never to love me in return for another day of your life, I want you to trust me to always love you. No matter what."

Marquise swallowed the lump in his throat. 

"As I end my vows to you, I want to sing one of your favorite Musiq Soulchild songs. Bear with me."

Marquise cleared his throat before he began to sing.

Love.

So many things I've got to tell you.

But I'm afraid I don't know how.

'Cause, there's a possibility.

You'll look at me differently.

Love.

Ever since the first moment I spoke your name.

From then on I knew that by you being in my life.

Things were destined to change cause.

Love.

So many people use your name in vain.

Love.

Those who have faith in you sometimes go astray.

Love.

Through all the ups and downs the joy and hurt.

Love.

For better or worse I still will choose you first.

Many days I've longed for you.

Wanting you.

Hoping for the chance to get to know you.

Longing for your kiss.

For your touch, for your essence (your beautiful essence).

Many nights I've cried from the things you do.

Felt like I could die from the thought of losing you.

I know that you're real.

With no doubt or no fears. Or no questions.

Love.

So many people use your name in vain.

Love.

Those who have faith in you sometimes go astray.

Love.

Through all the ups and downs the joy and hurt.

Love.

For better or worse I still will choose you first.

At first, you didn't mean that much to me.

But now I know that you're all I need.

The world looks so brand new to me.

Now that I found love.

Every day I live for you.

And everything that I do I do it for you.

What I say is how I feel so believe it's true.

You got to know I'm true.

Marquise closed his eyes as he squeezed her hands.

"I want you to marry me because you trust me when I say the following: Shanelle I love you today. I will love you tomorrow. And I swear to you with God and my Mother as my witnesses and God can strike me dead if ever I lie about this. I want you to marry me because you trust me when I say that I will love you until I am no more."

Damien nodded.

"Beautiful. Truly beautiful. Now, baby girl, you may recite your vows."

Shanelle was stunned. She was also thankful that her makeup is waterproof. 

"How the hell am I supposed to top that?!" she asked with tears in her eyes.

Damien shrugged.

"I don't know but good luck," he replied.

Shanelle looked at Marquise and shook her head.

"I hate you so much right now." she sneered. 

He chuckled.

"Je t'aime Aussi, mon amour."

Shanelle rolled her eyes with a smile before she began to recite her vows to him.

"I'm not very good at speeches, but I'm here now. You always talk about how I changed you. But you changed me. You made me who I am today and knowing you has been the best part of waking up every day. I..."

Shanelle took a deep breath.

"All my life I've been searching for an answer as to where I belong. I was always searching for the love I always needed. The love I always deserved. The love I always wanted. Then I met you and everything changed. You treated me like I deserved to be treated. You have loved me unconditionally and made me feel like I had finally found a home. I don't want to lose that. I don't ever want to lose you. You are the single greatest thing to ever happen to me. To know that in just a few short moments, you will officially be my Husband and more importantly, My King...I couldn't have asked for a more perfect blessing."

Shanelle closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling. Marquise rubbed her knuckles in an attempt to soothe her.

"You see? That right there is how I know I made the right choice when you asked me to marry you. You are known for your grand gestures of love. But it's the small ones that made me fall in love with you. When I felt lost, confused, and alone, you wrapped your arms around me and swore to me that as long as I had you, I would never be alone."

Marquise smiled at her with tears in his eyes.

"You said that you want me to marry you because I trust you. I trust you because I love you. Because I need you. Because I deserve you. My heart was made for you. You have shown me what true love is and what it is always supposed to be. I trust you to always lay the world at my feet. I trust you to kiss the ground I walk on as I walk."

"Oh I will!" he replied. 

The crowd laughed.

"But mostly I trust you to always be there to help me stand. I trust you to be my life partner as we walk this crazy path we call life."

Shanelle took a deep breath.

"I am reminded of a song lyric by Mary J. Blige."

Shanelle cleared her throat.

"You are mine. I told you before. I wouldn't lie. I need you and more. Gotta stay with you. I am safe with you. Let me repeat it in case you forgot. Love is a mountain and we're at the top. Yeah, you're my breath and strength. 'Cause I see the future in your eyes."

Marquise shook his head with a smile. 

"I love you so much. Here's to the start of our life and adventure together as one."

He grinned. 

"And you wondered how you could top what I said." 

Everyone chuckled.

"Thank you, baby girl. Now we can get to the good part. And I'm not talking about the food."

Everyone laughed as Damien looked at Marquise.

"Marquise, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, 'til death do you both part, for as long as you both shall live?" Damien asks. 

"I do forevermore," Marquise replies. 

Damien turned to Shanelle.

"Baby girl, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, 'til death do you part for as long as you both shall live? And just so you it's okay to say no and run for the hills." Damien asks. 

Shanelle rolled her eyes at her father.

"Worth a shot."

"I do forevermore," Shanelle replies. 

"Now if we can have the rings."

Shantel stepped up and handed Shanelle her ring while Margo handed Marquise his. 

"Marquise, repeat after me, I give this ring as my gift to you. Wear it and think of me and know that I love you. I give you this ring in God's name, as a symbol of all that we have promised and all that we shall share. I give you this ring as a visible and constant symbol of my promise to be with you as long as I live." Damien instructed. 

"Shanelle, I give this ring as my gift to you. Wear it and think of me and know that I love you. I give you this ring in God's name, as a symbol of all that we have promised and all that we shall share. I give you this ring as a visible and constant symbol of my promise to be with you as long as I live." Marquise recited as he slipped the diamond wedding band on her ring finger. 

Damien nodded before turning to Shanelle.

"Shanelle, repeat after me, I give this ring as my gift to you. Wear it and think of me and know that I love you. I give you this ring in God's name, as a symbol of all that we have promised and all that we shall share. I give you this ring as a visible and constant symbol of my promise to be with you as long as I live." Damien instructed. 

"Marquise, I give this ring as my gift to you. Wear it and think of me and know that I love you. I give you this ring in God's name, as a symbol of all that we have promised and all that we shall share. I give you this ring as a visible and constant symbol of my promise to be with you as long as I live." She recited before she put the diamond wedding band on his ring finger. 

"Let the exchanging of these wedding rings solidify your commitment to one another in the eyes of The Lord. And now...in the name of the Son, The Father and The Holy Ghost...I now pronounce you husband and wife. And as much as it pains me to say this: Marquise, you may now...kiss your bride." 

"Finally!" Shanelle said. 

"You might wanna close your eyes...dad," Marquise says to her dad. 

Marquise grabbed her and planted her with a deeply searing kiss. Much to Damien's visible disgust.

"Need I remind you two that you're in a church?" Damien asks. 

They ignored him. When their kiss finally ended, Marquise had a wide grin on his face. 

"I thank God for you, My Queen." 

"Likewise…My King."

Damien cursed under his breath. 

When they turned to face the crowd, Shantel was joined by Margo at the altar to formally announce them. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of my husband and our family and The Royal Family," Shantel said as she addressed the gathered crowd. 

"It is our esteemed honor to introduce to you: Mr. and Mrs. Marquise Constantine Rys, The New King and Queen Of Cordonia!" Margo announced.

"Did they have to?" Marquise whispered. 

"Just go with it," Shanelle replied. 

When Shanelle looked out into the crowd she saw her uncle with a disgusted look on his face that matched Connie's.

"Well, safe to say the former Kings are mad," she whispered to Marquise.

"That's their problem. Not ours," he whispered back.

"Hey," she said to him.

"Hmm?" he replied. 

She captured his lips in a sweet kiss. When the kiss ended both had smiles on their faces.

"Long live Cordonia's new King," she whispered to him.

He kissed her softly.

"All hail my Queen," he whispered to her. 

"Together we shall reign!" they said together.

#khoicesbyk #choices #choices stories you play #pixelberry #fanfic #choices fanfiction #king marquise #king of cordonia #queen shanelle #queen of cordonia #king and queen of cordonia #love everlasting #black king liam #black couple #black love #black marriage #my otp forever #otp forever #otp #the royal romance #choices fic writers creations #fics of the week

[catty-words]

#sex education #sexeducationedit #otis milburn #maeve wiley #maeve x otis #gifs by catty #filling the physical affection prompt gave me a serious hankering to watch this show #good news everybody! i am still aggressively unwell about this moment! #it's maeve's 'i can't have a serious conversation with you wearing that' huff of affection and amusement in the first gif #it's the excuse to fluster otis further at the same time it's the softest way to acknowledge she saw the effect she has on him #it's the precise way she grips the buckle. just the hint of a touch. just knuckles grazing his neck. #it's otis' reserved but decidedly pleased smile #it's maeve's UNreserved pleased smile #it's the way she observes him fully remove the helmet through heavy eyelids. like he's too cute to look at directly. #and. naturally. it's about EYEBROWS. #otp: fucking turned myself inside out #a tick of the eyebrows marks the tick of the heart

[the-iceni-bitch]

The Bitch is Back

Pairing: Ransom Drysdale x fem!Reader (OTP)

Words: ~2.8k

Summary: You run into Ransom’s cunt of an ex again and it goes about as well as expected.

Warnings: explicit language, Ransom looking like a whole snack, fluff, that blonde bitch, Linda being a cunt, extremely abusive language and allusions to past emotional abuse, more angst than I had intended, my undying love for these two idiots, too many feelings

A/N: I hate her, I hate her, I hate her, I hate her, I hate her, I hate her! Sorry everyone, the angst took over this one and what I had intended to be another fun romp a la Girl Fight turned into a pit of emotion that I couldn’t dig myself out of. I’m gonna go cry.

“Baby, you know we can just go home, right?” Ransom gave you a tired but indulgent smile when he looked at you, tucking his fingers under your chin and tilting your head back so he could look into your eyes while you swallowed thickly.

“No, I’m not gonna give your mother the satisfaction of seeing me duck out of this thing.” You got that stubborn set to your jaw that told him to quit trying to take care of you, because proving to his bitch mother you could actually make it through one of these stupid events without causing some kind of scene was more important than your comfort right now.

You felt bile rise in your throat and swallowed it again. This was fucking ridiculous, you weren’t even on a boat, just the dock. But you still felt like you were going to vomit at any second, watching the motion of the boats rocking on the water making your gut lurch. It almost made you wonder if Linda knew about your stomach’s aversion to being on water when she had insisted on the two of you attending their fucking sailing club’s final regatta. 

“Here we go, one scopolamine patch.” You could’ve kissed Anne when she handed it to you, grateful that Ben’s boat was moored in this marina so you didn’t have to spend the rest of this stupid thing constantly swallowing your own vomit. “Why didn’t you bring your own?”

“She said she’d be fine if she didn’t actually go on the boats.” Ransom ignored the glare you shot him when he talked to Anne over your head, rubbing your arm softly when he pulled you closer to him.

“Did I tell you how much I hate that you two get along?” You frowned when Ransom pressed his lips to your hair, slapping the patch on your neck and sighing when you felt your stomach start to settle.

Anne just laughed at you, shaking her head as she sipped on her cocktail and leaned against Ben. The fact that this guy actually treated you like you deserved did a lot to endear him to her, even if he was an asshole sometimes.

You had been worried at first about introducing Anne to Ransom’s idiot friends, no matter how much they had grown on you. But your friend could hold her own, her no nonsense attitude endearing her to the girls as she chewed out Logan for some dumbass comment while Dylan and Chaz just chuckled that now there were two of you.

This was one of the few things that you actually felt out of your element with, since you could not give a single fuck about sailing with your stupid seasickness. But you could tell Ran was enjoying himself, and every fucking time he got near the water he looked so fucking windswept and dreamy so it was well worth the nausea. That was all gone now though, the scopolamine making you feel just the tiniest bit drowsy and pleasantly warm while Ran pulled you tight against his chest as he whistled for his team’s boat between nuzzling himself into your hair with pleased little hums. Even Linda giving you some vicious side eye couldn’t break you out of your good mood, the warmth of Ransom wrapped around you like a balm for your typical nervous energy. Then you heard Jess mutter an “oh shit” and the sound of a bratty, whiny voice broke right through your pleasant haze and made your spine stiffen.

“Rannie?” That fucking blonde bitch would show up to something like this, just to ruin your day. “I thought that was you. Oh, still with your tramp, I see.”

“Sloane.” His grip around you grew almost painfully tight, growling into your neck as he did his best to take deep breaths. “Don’t you have some puppies to skin, or something?”

You grabbed his hand and wound your fingers through his as you felt him tense up, pressing your lips to the inside of his wrist in an attempt to help him calm down. It had been your sincere hope that after you beat the shit out of this cunt you would never have to see her again, but when had you ever been that lucky?

“Aww, Rannie, thought you couldn’t talk without this bitch’s permission.” She looked mildly uncomfortable when you shifted your gaze to her, your eyes narrowing in a warning that she chose to ignore. “Been missing you a whole lot, baby, when’re you gonna stop slumming around?”

“What the fuck do you want, Sloane?” You were chanting over and over in your head that you were not going to fight this cunt, catching Anne starting to square up from the corner of your eye and giving her a small shake of the head to get her to stand down.

“I’m not talking to you, slut.” She must’ve been drunk, you had definitely taught her her lesson last time. “Just because you can give this bastard a good, sloppy fuck doesn’t mean you get to keep him. You don’t know what he really needs, and he’s too fucking stupid to tell you. God, you’re only sticking with him because he’s such a good fuck, right? That’s like, his only redeeming quality, except for the money. And you and your low class pussy don’t even know what to do with such a fine piece of eye candy.”

“Ok, you need to leave, Sloane.” Ransom may have been full of the anxiety he always felt around his ex, but the way your whole body was wound tight like a spring let him know you were ready to get violent. So he pressed a brief, soothing kiss to your hair and moved to guide this drunk bitch away from another beating.

“Don’t you fucking touch me, god, you really are a fucking moron.” Sloane jerked away from him when he tried to guide her away from your group, turning and sneering derisively at him. “Fuck’s sake, Linda was right, she really should have aborted you so we wouldn’t have to deal with your stupid bull shit.”

“What the fuck did you just say?” You reached your arm out to grip Ransom’s shoulder on instinct when he recoiled like he had been slapped, pulling him towards you protectively as you stared disbelieving at the people around you. “What the fuck did she just say?”

Sloane was just grinning at you wickedly as she sipped on her drink, like she had never and would never do anything wrong in her life. You almost forgot your promise you’d made to not get yourself kicked out of this event, but then Ran was clutching at your waist and making a choked sound and you turned back to him with concern.

There was no one to hold back Anne though, and she hadn’t made any promises about being on her best behavior. So she handed Ben her purse and punched that bitch right in the jaw.

You just gave a grateful look to your best friend before she bitch slapped that twat, security already starting to rush towards the fight as you guided Ransom towards the parking lot while he tried to regulate his breathing.

“Baby? Hey, Ran, look at me.” You’d never seen him look so completely lost, his eyes glistening with pent up emotion when you finally got him to look at you and you felt your heart break. “Oh honey, can you make it to the car?” He just nodded at you as another strangled sob escaped his throat and every fiber of your being ached to give him some form of comfort. “Ok, gimme the keys.”

He handed them to you and you wound your arm around him to guide him towards the beemer, letting him lean heavily on your shoulder and murmuring soft, soothing noises to him as you tried to think of something you could do for him. You knew that bitch was an abusive piece of work but Ran had been so hesitant to talk about it and you didn’t want to push him about it before he was ready, but if the way he reacted to her barb was any indication of how she treated him you might end up killing that bitch.

Ransom’s breathing seemed even more ragged by the time you reached the beemer, barely giving you a chance to shove the front seat down so the two of you could climb into the back and you could instruct him to stretch out over your lap. Your own throat was starting to get tight when he let out a wretched sob, the fingers of one hand running through his hair while the other smoothed over his chest as you watched his face closely.

“Baby, I need you to breathe for me, ok?” You were trying your best to keep your voice low and even, taking a deep breath and waiting for him to mirror your actions until he was pressing his face to your stomach with a piteous whine once his breathing had regulated slightly. “That’s it, you’re doing so good, Ran, just keep breathing.” 

He sighed deeply when you continued murmuring soft words of praise to him, his fingers curling over yours on his chest as he looked up at you and felt the softness of your gaze spread like warmth through his body. 

“I’m sorry.” He moaned when you pulled gently on his hair, his voice raspy with the tears he’d managed to swallow.

“No, baby.” You curled over him and brushed your lips over his forehead, trying not to cry when he wrapped his arms around your neck and let out another shaky breath. “You don’t apologize, ever, you hear me?”

“I thought I was over this shit.” He buried his face in your neck and breathed deep, your warm scent washing over him and finally making him relax. “I don’t want to put this on you.”

“Listen to me, Ransom.” You pulled back a little so you could gaze into his eyes, resting your forehead against his and maneuvering until you were laying next to him across the backseat. “I don’t know if you really think I’m just with you for the sex or what, but when I say I love you, I fucking mean it. I love all of you, so much, and that means that you can put all of it on me, ok? I’m not going anywhere.”

“Fuck, I love you, too.” He whined when you pressed your lips to his gently, drinking you in and pulling you to him as tight as possible when you let him deepen the kiss. “Need you so much.”

“I know, Ransom, I’m here.” You moved your lips up to his cheeks when he finally let his tears start to fall, kissing each one that stained his cheeks as you splayed your body over his while he held you. “My sweet boy, it’s ok. Let go for me, baby.”

He buried his face in your shoulder and did as you asked. It wasn’t loud or dramatic, but you could feel the warm wetness of his tears against the bare flesh of your neck while his chest heaved against yours. You cooed soft words of encouragement into his hair as he wept, letting a few of your own tears fall as you felt the tension slowly seep from his body.

Neither of you were sure how long you laid there tangled with each other, but eventually Ransom felt the last of the pain drain out of him until he was sinking against the seat with exhaustion. Having you there with him was like a balm for his soul, the way your eyes moved to search his once you felt him let out a deep sigh making his lips quirk in a small smile. His eyes were brilliantly blue from the tears he had shed, but you could see a glimmer of something hopeful there, and that made you relax. You sighed when he framed your face with his hands and pulled your lips back to his, the kiss chaste but full of emotion that he was too exhausted to vocalize at the moment.

“You ready to go home?” You pressed your hand over his heart when you leaned back a little, glad to feel that it had slowed down to a normal rhythm as he nodded for you. “Ok, you just stay back here and rest, alright? When we get home I’m gonna draw us a nice bath and we’ll just spend the rest of the day vegging.”

“That sounds good.” He watched you climb back into the front seat with a deep breath, squeezing your hand when you let it linger on his chest before letting you pull it away with reluctance.

You peeked at him through the rear view mirror before pulling out, relieved when you watched his eyes drift closed as he sagged into the seat and let his exhaustion take over. It almost hurt you how much you loved that man, and if you ever saw that cunt who hurt him again, there was a good chance you were going to jail for him.

Ransom was still dozing by the time you pulled up to the house, but he roused quickly when he felt you shake him awake. He let you help him out of the car and smiled warmly at you when you brought your hand up to cup his jaw, humming contentedly when you let him bury his face in your hair as you guided him into the house.

You pressed a kiss to his cheek once you were inside and instructed him to go to the en suite while you got some wine, watching him closely as he headed up the stairs before moving to grab a good bottle from the rack. There was a buzzing from your purse and you pulled out your phone, texting Anne that everything was ok and no, you didn’t need her to smash that bitch’s windows in. She was detailing all the ways she was going to fuck that cunt up and making you chuckle when suddenly the last caller ID you expected flashed across your screen.

“Can I help you with something, Linda?” You poured the Syrah into a decanter and moved to grab a couple of glasses, curious why exactly she was calling you.

“Y/N…” she sounded massively uncomfortable but you could not bring yourself to give a single fuck. “I just… I heard what Sloane said and I wanted to make sure Ransom was alright. He wasn’t answering my calls though.”

“Good for him.” You chewed on your lip as you considered what you wanted to say to her. “Was she lying?”

“What?”

“Did you tell your own child you should have aborted him? Or was that abusive cunt you kept forcing down your son’s throat being a lying bitch?” 

“I never… I didn’t tell him.” She still sounded like she thought she was in the right, and you might have spit in her face if she was in front of you.

“Oh, but you said it, didn’t you?” You sneered and downed the glass of wine you’d poured when you saw her number pop up. She didn’t deny it, and you quickly moved to pour yourself another glass. “You’re a fucking piece of work, Linda.”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you.” You could  practically hear her spine straightening over the phone and you rolled your eyes at her. “You don’t know what it was like trying to raise him. Stubborn and spoiled and…”

“Goodbye, Linda. Don’t fucking call either of us again.” You hung up before she could continue, tossing your phone across the counter and draining your glass before grabbing the decanter and glasses before heading upstairs.

“Hey, baby.” He was already soaking when you walked into the steam filled en suite, his head leaning back against the edge of the drop in tub and giving you a lazy grin. “You have trouble picking a wine?”

“No.” You set the decanter and glasses on the tray at the tub’s edge and pinned your hair off your neck before getting undressed and sliding into the water with him. “I had to talk to your mother.” 

“Oh, you had to?” He pulled you against his chest and sighed when you tucked your face into his neck.

“Yeah, I wanted to make sure she didn’t disturb us for the rest of the weekend.” You took a deep breath when he started trailing his fingers over your spine, the warmth of the water seeping through your body and helping you relax as you sank into him. “You wanna talk about what happened?”

“Later.” His arms wound tightly around you, nuzzling into your hair and breathing in the scent of you that always made him feel like he was home. “Just wanna hold you for now.”

#natalie writes #ransom otp #ransom drysdale #ransom drysdale x reader #ransom drysdale x female reader #ransom drysdale fluff #ransom drysdale x y/n #ransom drysdale x you #ransom x you #ransom x y/n #ransom x reader #ransom drysdale angst #ransom angst #angst #fluff #too many feelings

[casiavium]

free invite to talk about whatever you're currently interested in~

I have one interest and it's Zelda no I do have many interests but I can't think right now because of my allergy medication so I'm going to go through my notes and post the little snippets and things that I haven't been able to fit anywhere else!

She would have burned the world, had Hylia asked—and that's when she realizes she's no different from him.

She's doing this for love of the goddess, he's in it for love of power—he can't expect to gain anything from the demon king, after all.

And she knows what he's gone and done, sacrificed himself and been corrupted into something not even human anymore. And Hylia is talking of the same.

She's seen the darkness her goddess can posess. Everything for a good cause, yes? She thinks of her hero, rotting in a cell for a crime he never committed, and she thinks of the girl Hylia offered the honor to. The poor thing that doesn't even know what the sacrifice entails

********

Link set the sword down, frowning as the demon inside appeared abruptly, lounging on the bed he had just made.

"Get off my bed in your day pants."

"Oh please, we did dirtier things than my pants in this bed last night." Ghirahim smirked.

********

"Okay, okay. My turn." Zelda's face split into a mischievous grin. "Fuck, marry, kill: Hylia, Demise, the Imprisoned."

Before he could even open his mouth, Zelda added, "Yes, Demise and the Imprisoned are two different things for this hypothetical situation."

Link lay back down, staring up at the night sky.

"Damn, Zelda, that's tough. Marry Hylia, I guess."

"You guess."

Link snorted.

"Yeah. And, I mean, I've already killed Demise, so..."

"You'd fuck the Imprisoned over me."

"Would you rather I marry it?

"How would it even work?"

"Well, I suppose you'd, uh..." Link frowned, unsavory images flashing in his mind. The two of them burst out laughing, the happy sound echoing around them.

***********

unpopular opinion I don't like the theory that Ghirahim is Lorule's Master Sword, I don't want him in BOTW2, not everything needs to be connected

**********

"I feel bad comparing myself to him. What if someday in the future you tell this to someone else? Start pointing out all of my flaws. 'Youre smaller than him, thin and fit. You have softer, smoother, unblemished skin, no silly freckles or scars. You're more confident and funnier and less lazy—"

**********

star crossed fates are reserved for lovers. They don't even get the beauty of pretending this could happen.

************

Fledge has a crush on Link, Groose bullied Link because he thought he was jealous of him for being close to Zelda but actually he's just bi and liked them both, Ghirahim was Link's gay awakening but Pipit was his "oh shit yeah it all makes sense now", Zelda definitely liked the cool female knight that picks you up if you fall off Skyloft and she thinks Karane is cute, Link almost dated Peatrice during the quest but after they kind of fell apart, Groose meets Peatrice and he actually does think she's the prettiest girl on Skyloft like her dad says and Peatrice sees him as a hero (which makes more sense, Link may be the real hero but to most of Skyloft? He broke the chandelier in the lumpy pumpkin and breaks into people's houses, your perfect innocent hero Sky Link is cute but honestly out of character), Karane and Pipit are together

Post game goes several ways either total Zelink and sword spirits are out of the picture, Zelfi and Ghiralink, or Ghiralink and Zelda's with some else (or Link, poly is cool too)

Orielle is aroace

90% of my writing is endgame ghiralink but I prefer drawing Zelink so I guess they're tied for OTP status

At one point I considered Peatrice/Zelda because. Starved for wlw content. But now I am Zelfi but also Orielle is really cute??? So idk

And then Hylia and Impa and possibly some one sided Ghirahim with an unhealthy obsession for Demise that he perceives as romantic for angst

#ask #just another tokyo ghoul fan #skyward sword #ghiralink #loz #nsft mention #zelink #hylimpa #hylia #impa #Ghirahim #link #zelda #cherryskywriting

[akitokihojo]

Stay

Woah, two posts in one day? Yeah... yeeeeeeah. I don't usually post so late, but as I sat here staring at this document, I realized that if I don't post it now, I never will.

Okay, look, this story is extremely personal for me and I want to give a warning about that. If you know me or have been following me for a while, you may have noticed I tend to keep to myself, I'm quiet, and I'm private. But, as most humans, I have things I battle, too. I've been through things, too.

My coping mechanisms are humor and "add to cart." My therapy is writing. I decided to give this a shot. I've gotten personal with older fics before, but it's vague and I sort of lightly mix it in there like food seasonings. "Everything's Okay" and "A Moment" are examples of which. This story is largely based off something real. The emotion behind it is real. Very real.

Now, I will admit, the comfort added isn't. It's something I've realized over the past couple of years that I both crave and deserve. It's something that would help me incredibly, and maybe it's unrealistic, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I want it. So bad. So, I wrote. I made it happen.

I decided to project everything into my comfort otp, so if either Kagome or Inuyasha seem out of character, it's because they are. Sorry about that. It was difficult to keep their characteristics in tact. Particularly, Inuyasha. He's unbelievably soft here.

This is sloppy. I did my best to edit, but like I said, the longer I sat on it, the less likely it was bound to be posted. Just consider it unfiltered emotions if it seems messy, because that's what it's supposed to be.

Some disclaimers that I'll open up about: Yes, all of those negative things have been said to me by a past ex. What Kagome tells Inuyasha is very real for me. Also, replace "abusive father" with "abusive mother" and you've got it. :) I just didn't feel comfortable disrespecting mama higurashi with such slander, so since Kagome's father isn't in the picture, it was simpler.

Okay, I'm done. Thank you. If you read this, thank you. Again.

---

“Come on, Kagome. Show me.” Inuyasha encouraged supportively.

Kagome sighed, adjusting the shorts a bit better around her waist as she stared at herself in the mirror on the inside of the door. She’d comfortably tucked herself away in the walk-in closet of her boyfriend’s bedroom, preferring the space she had and the length of the mirror as opposed to the bathroom that only showed her up to her hips unless she bounced to her tippy toes.

“Houston, we have a problem.” She spoke.

“Define ‘problem.’” Inuyasha proposed. “Because, I realized a long time ago that you and I have two totally different definitions of the word.”

No, this was a definite problem. Unfortunately, it seemed she’d purchased clothing from one of the retailers that didn’t quite grasp that some woman had thicker asses and thighs. The shorts fit, but they hugged her in places she needed a little more room in. God forbid, she sit down. Then, they’d fit her like underwear.

The band was comfortable along her hips, but felt a little better if she pulled it up a smidge toward her waist. But then the underside of her booty cheeks popped out, and that for sure wasn’t something she could sport in public. Or, she could. She just wouldn’t be comfortable doing so. It wasn’t her style. She preferred a hint of more modesty. Not to mention, the shorts were very tight against her lady bits, and that was definitely something she didn’t want her clothing riding up on.

“Babe.”

“Curse these thighs.”

“Oh, see what I mean?” He chimed from the other side of the door. “That’s the exact opposite of a problem.”

“It’s a problem if the shorts don’t fit, Inuyasha.”

“Show me.”

“They don’t fit.”

“Okay, we’ll return them. But, show me first.”

“Why do you want to see them if they don’t fit?” She laughed lightly.

“Why wouldn’t I? Do I have to spell this out to you every time?” Inuyasha asked, making it obvious that he was feigning irritation.

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“Alright, first of all, I know you’re ridiculously critical of yourself. I have a more objective point of view, and therefore that makes my opinion the only valid one here.”

“Hey -“

“I’m not finished. Second, I love seeing you in tight clothing. That’s a given. You don’t have to keep it, and you should always wear things you’re comfortable in, but at least do the right thing and let me see first. I think I deserve that much. Third, and most importantly, ass and thighs. Your ass and thighs.” Inuyasha made a chef’s kiss motion even though she couldn’t see, losing himself in the thought of some of his favorite assets of hers. “You know damn well how much I love them. So, please - please - come out and show me, Kagome.”

Behind the door, she fought her smile, losing so quickly it was as if she hardly stood a chance against it. It wasn’t that she didn’t like her body, but he was right. There were some imperfections that had her self-conscious at times, and he knew without saying when they started dating over five months ago that her thighs were one of them. And, she could tell the half demon she called hers genuinely adored everything she deemed unworthy.

Giving a minor adjustment to make sure the area between her thighs had enough room to breathe, she sighed out any apprehension and opened the door. Inuyasha sat on the edge of the bed waiting, golden eyes instantly on her. He skimmed over the way she’d tucked her shirt into the underside of her bra to keep it out of the way, gazed at her tummy for a small moment, then drifted his sights down to the shorts hugging her snuggly.

He barely blinked, his expression practically blanking, and Kagome’s cheeks went red hot.

“Inuyasha?”

“Shh. I’m concentrating.”

Kagome laughed, turning away from him bashfully.

“Shit, no! I wasn’t ready for that!” He cried, pressing the heels of his hands into his temples as if he were in a panic. Her ass. It looked phenomenal. He wasn’t mentally prepared to see just how plump it looked in those bottoms, and it sent his mind reeling.

“What!?” She gasped, her hands instinctually falling to cover her butt as she spun back to face the way she’d originally been.

“Oh my god.” Inuyasha mewled. “Are you kidding me, Kagome!? Where’s the problem!? Where’s the mother fucking problem!? Because, I don’t see it!”

It was thought to be impossible, but she felt her face flush even hotter. So hot, she wanted to hide it, knowing full and well her embarrassment was visible and prominent. She kind of tucked her head down slightly, hoping the dim lighting in his room would be her ally and shade her blush while she presented her issues with the garment of clothing.

“Well, it’s tight on my thighs. See, when I do this -“ She explained as she lifted her leg slightly as if she was going to take a step forward. The bottom hem of her shorts tightened against her quad, squeezing around the plush before riding up an inch. “It’s not very comfortable. I like a bit of a looser fit. And, then my butt. It’s suffocating. I’m scared one wrong move will make these shorts rip.”

“God forbid.”

“Inuyasha, seriously.” She deadpanned.

“Sorry, sorry. I’m listening. Anything else?” He apologized with a grin, conceding.

“Yes. I can’t sit in these.”

“Why not?”

“Too tight.”

“So, you literally can’t sit?”

“No, I mean I’m sure I can. It’s just not a good idea.”

“Because, they’ll rip?”

“That. Or, they’ll turn into chonies.”

“What?”

“Underwear.”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware you got such versatile clothing. I could have sworn we were nowhere near the lingerie section.”

Kagome laughed through her groan, tossing her head back in minor exasperation due to her boyfriend’s sarcasm. It was going to be hard to describe, and she was sure if she attempted such he’d only throw more jokes her way, so she shut her mouth and decidedly took to demonstrating her vexation. She crossed the floor, hoped for the best, and plopped into a seat right next to Inuyasha. Her thighs fluffed out and her shorts effectively rode all the way up, giving her legs the attention they apparently demanded.

Inuyasha’s eyes were glued to her thighs and the way her clothing wrinkled along her anatomy. He’d had to press his lips into a tight line to prevent their proud and joyful crinkle, but it was so desperately difficult to fend off. Kagome was quick to notice and her brows pinched together, a small pout forming.

“You tricked me.” She murmured. “You wanted me to sit down, didn’t you?”

“I’ll admit, it was a lot easier than I expected it would be.” He said, gently stroking the pads of his fingers over the softness of her legs. “Again, I find it important to remind you that you and I clearly have very different definitions of what a problem is. This… this is not a problem. Not at all.”

“Well, see, I sort of wanted to be able to wear these outside of your apartment.” Kagome giggled, inadvertently melting into his touch. It was so light, it almost tickled, but she felt his warmth radiating from his hand, she felt his attraction, she felt his good-natured and honest feelings toward her body, and it was nothing short of what she both wanted and needed right now.

“I know, I know. We’ll return them and get a larger pair. Still, not a problem.” He grinned, planting his whole palm on her thigh and sliding it inward, shoving it to sit in the heat between. He leaned over and kissed her temple.

“Don’t even think about it.” Kagome hummed, leaning into his tender touch.

“Hm?”

“You’re about to lay down on my thighs, aren’t you?”

“What? I can’t?” The half demon pouted with legitimate shock on his brow.

“The moment you’re down, you’re down. You know damn well you’re not getting up if I let you, and I want to get out of these shorts.”

“But, Kagome -“

“Boy, if you knew exactly how these are constricting certain areas, you’d understand.” She laughed, playfully shoving his hand off of her as she stood. Before walking toward the closet where she’d left her skirt, she turned to face her boyfriend, bending at the waist and pushing his bangs from his forehead to plant a kiss against his skin. “I should get going soon, anyway. It’s getting late.”

“Don’t go, then.” He said, tone gruff as his amber eyes met hers. “Stay with me.”

It wasn’t the first time he’d asked her to stay the night, impromptu. Far from it. Every time, though, caused something in her chest to stir, something in her stomach to flutter, something in her bloodstream to effervesce in both a wonderful and unsettling way - the unsettling part deriding from a different emotion she’d recently noticed planting its roots somewhere inside of her. Inuyasha grabbed her hand, running his thumb over the tops of her fingers while his expression shifted to one of seriousness. No jokes, no funny business, no sarcasm was present any longer.

“I don’t feel like I got all the time I wanted with you. Since we were out and about most of the day, I feel like I had to share parts of you with the world, so now that it’s just you and I, I’m not quite ready to let you go. Will you stay?”

Internally, Kagome was telling herself to keep it together. It was such a small gesture, such a tiny request, but it was always the little things he said to her, like this, the mannerisms he displayed when he was sincere, the way his amber eyes met hers when he waited for her answer that had her feeling unstable. Like, she could cry. Like, she was more afraid than she was thirty seconds ago, or an hour ago, or when she saw his smile earlier this afternoon when they met up, or last night, or when she crashed and burned upon realizing what, exactly, it was she felt for Inuyasha a month ago. She swallowed, forcing herself to show none of that as she made a small smile appear on her face.

“Can I borrow a shirt to sleep in?”

A grin sprouted on Inuyasha’s lips as he kissed the hand he held, standing to cross over to his dresser.

“You want your favorite, or a different one?” He asked, ignoring the twitch his own sensitive ear gave as the wood scraped open.

“Whichever. Can I take a shower?”

“Of course.” He said in a manner that suggested she knew she didn’t have to ask by now. He was well-acquainted with her routine and how she preferred showers before bed as opposed to first thing in the morning. That, and they’d recently gotten her some extra toiletries to store in his bathroom for times she stayed over. He was equipped for her company, and sooner or later, Kagome was bound to learn that she was more than welcome to treat his place as her own. Her scent, her voice, her contagious laughter were all he needed, and if his apartment was filled with it, Inuyasha couldn’t think of anything that would make him happier.

Kagome took the large band tee the hanyou offered with a grateful smile and snagged some boxers from the top drawer he’d just opened with a playful, little scrunch of her nose before ambling over to the closet to pick up her skirt and reach for a towel on the shelf.

Why? Why was her heart thumping uncontrollably? She was so happy. So, so, so content. But, yet a crippling sensation was crawling its way up her esophagus to make home in her throat; to grow large, and dense, and sit there to make it impossible to swallow any longer. Ever since that night a month ago, when she’d hung up the phone after a goodnight call with Inuyasha - who was traveling at the time for work, was beyond tired, spoke to her in that husky tone she was utterly weak for, and who’d called out of mere courtesy to let her know he’d made it to his destination safely - she hadn’t been feeling secure. Not because of him. He hadn’t done anything wrong. In fact, despite their little, bickering spats and his tendency to get a bit jealous over guys she spoke to, he was doing everything right. He wasn’t the one giving her reason to fear. It was her.

It was what she’d been through.

It was something she was so terrified he would turn around and say to her, that it practically debilitated her rational mind.

But, still, the feeling it stemmed from grew and expanded, the tree roots burying themselves in the soil of her heart, and Kagome was positive by now, after thirty days had passed with no decrease but, instead, the exact opposite, that there was no convincing herself that it wasn’t there. Because, every time she saw him smile, every time he held her hand, every time he expressed himself to her, it banged on her walls like an innocent prisoner demanding freedom.

When she was sure her emotions weren’t superficial, when she was positive there was no changing anything on her end, Kagome had to really look within herself to figure out how to maneuver about things. Did she openly tell him? Was there a right time to say these things? She even debated never saying anything at all, and for a good while, she was settled on that option. It wasn’t the right thing to do, though. It was like she was allowing her past, her previous broken heart, to dictate how she expressed affection toward others, and the potential ‘others’ who hadn’t done her wrong didn’t deserve that. Kagome had always been the type to wear her rather large and vulnerable heart on her sleeve. The cage she held it in now, it wasn’t locked. She wanted to put it back where it belonged, but she was so scared, it made her nauseous. The cage door was opened, held cracked from the inside, the weary organ protecting itself behind a barrier that just needed some encouragement to come out from.

Again, she’d wondered to herself countless times: was there a right moment to say something like this? Was there a procedure she needed to follow? She’d said it first last time, and nothing ended in her favor, so maybe she shouldn’t be the one to initiate this topic? Maybe it applied too much pressure? Should she just keep it to herself behind lock and key? Was he going to be receptive? Was it going to scare him away? Please, don’t scare him away. Please, please don’t leave.

And, countless times, she ended up in tears from the crushing weight of it. Kagome knew the truth. She didn’t have to consult anyone to know what the right thing to do was. It didn’t matter how many nights she stared at the ceiling obsessing over right and wrong, this or that, pros and cons, yes and no’s, because in the back of her mind, the answer was right there in big, bold letters. She was just trying to dance around it. It was so stressful. Something that was depicted as a happy and liberating occurrence was reduced to horrifying and anxiety-inducing for her.

The fact of the matter was, no one should have the power to change her heart. More so, Kagome shouldn’t give anyone that power. The way she felt so deeply was, in fact, a good thing. It was. It was. It was a fight just to get herself to understand that again, feeling like she was convincing herself of something she no longer believed, but she knew the only way she would, once more, feel that freedom was to open up. Stop hiding.

The thought was heavy. It didn’t sit comfortably with her. There were certain things Kagome was okay talking about, and there were certain things Kagome would rather eat up, swallow, and take to the grave. But, that was vulnerability, and she understood that if anyone deserved that part of you, it was your partner. Inuyasha was her partner. He was patient. He listened to her about things that made her uneasy, he took into account how she could be both a social butterfly sometimes and introverted during others, how when she was overwhelmed she had a tendency to shut down, how physical touch was her love language, and he even went so far as to ask her how she would prefer he respond to certain predicaments if she were to ever get overstimulated with him around.

Inuyasha had proved time and time again that he not only wanted to experience every side of her, but that he deserved it. He deserved it.

It jostled her to the core as she considered telling him now, her stomach churning, her heart pounding erratically, her bottom lip quivering as she’d learned to expect rejection. It was why she struggled initiating anything. It was why she had trouble saying the words to anyone but herself, “I want.” It was a learned reaction to her past trauma, but Inuyasha, the half dog demon she called hers, the silver-haired man who always did everything he could to make her feel safe while with him, the person who treated her as special as he’d insisted she was, wasn’t the one who’d hurt her. So, she’d decided over a week ago, she was going to do it. She was going to do it and let him know. Best case scenario, it was always nice to hear you’re loved and he may end up appreciating her confession. Worst case, things were going to get awkward and tense and it may end their relationship for good.

Kagome wanted to be Kagome again. Not the person she was before she’d met her ex. Not exactly, at least. She still wanted the lessons she’d learned with him to be applied to who she was. They were valuable, and not everything she learned had her closing off. As an open-minded thinker, she realized that not every wound left a scar, so not everything that happened made her a victim. Some things are just incidents that taught her lessons to take into tomorrow. So, she wanted to return to Kagome, the bright girl who faced her fears, who wore her precious heart on her sleeve, her loved with everything she had no matter what, but who was just a few experiences wiser. But, no one could do that for her. No one could give her that push she needed. It all came from within.

Of course, so did fear. So did nausea. So did that anxious part of her brain that said, “Let’s do it tomorrow, instead. Or, the day after that.”

Kagome took a deep breath, trembling as it may have been, and looked over to her boyfriend. He’d just removed his shirt from over his head, his short, tousled, silver strands appearing slightly messier than before once he was free, and he glanced over his shoulder her way, most likely feeling her eyes on him.

“Inuyasha,” She tried to come off as stable as possible, but there was an obvious waver in her tone that gave her trepidation away.

“Hm?” He hummed, the corners of his lips twitching downward before he dropped his shirt on the floor and faced her better.

“Can I - um…” It was impossible to hold her eyes steady on him, her deep, brown gaze falling to the floor every time she picked them up to look at him. “I need to talk to you about something.”

“Okay. I’m all yours.”

Kagome took another breath, willing her body to stop fidgeting. It was Inuyasha. It was just Inuyasha. As soon as she realized there was no stilling her fingers beneath the clothes and towel she held, or the way she bit hard into the inside of her bottom lip, she felt the best course of action was to simply carry on; wavering eye contact, trembling fingers, quivering lips, and all.

“Let me first preface this with: please don’t say anything. Just let me get it out there. I don’t expect anything from you in return, there’s no pressure whatsoever, and I would rather you not say anything at all. Like, at all. Okay?”

Truthfully, Inuyasha was freaked out. Had something happened? Was she about to admit to something bad? Kagome looked about ready to breakdown and cry, and the fact that she was asking for him to remain completely silent only told him she was afraid of judgement. Never had she asked him to stay quiet before. And, he hated how apprehensive his girlfriend looked right now. His instinct was to solve the problem, so what was he supposed to do here but agree to her terms?

“What’s going on, Kagome?”

“Please?”

“Alright. I won’t talk. Now, spill.”

She pinched the back of her wrist to stay grounded, to keep from crying. God, she was so pathetically nervous, and three times now, she’d almost convinced herself to back out and pretend it was a joke. That wouldn’t be right, though. She wanted to cry so bad and she hadn’t even said anything yet, so she pinched herself harder, her nails incidentally digging in. As soon as she felt a degree of control fall back into her grasps, Kagome leveled her gaze at him.

The words sat on her tongue, weighted with the shackles she’d placed there herself. A lump had formed and solidified in her throat, clinging for dear life and making everything so much harder than it needed to be. God, she was really shaking. Her breathing was becoming unsteady as if she’d already started crying and she could feel her expression crinkling into something terribly sad. She knew that was how she appeared only from the way Inuyasha’s lips parted, how his brows curved in worry, how he wanted to reach for her but seemed so confused that he could only stand there and wait.

Like a bandaid. Once the words were out, it wouldn’t be so bad anymore. She just had to get through it.

“Um - I - I - I am -“ The stammering was relentless, and out of sheer obstinance, Kagome shied away for one moment, took a short breath, huffed it out, then faced him again. “I’m in love with you.”

There was a slight arch to his brow, and his chin inched to the side minutely. Very slowly, Inuyasha’s lips sealed and his gaze hardened, falling to the ground. Hastily, Kagome followed her confession with disclaimers, irrevocably panicking.

“A-and, I don’t expect you to say it back! You don’t have to say a word about it! There’s no pressure at all, Inuyasha! I swear!” With each statement, he seemed to be growing more and more tense, and Kagome was terrified she was only making matters worse, but she blinked profusely so her tears didn’t have the chance to breach the brim of her lids. “I just wanted you to know. So, yeah. Now you know.” Her voice had fallen to a hitch just above a whisper at that point, admonished.

Inuyasha kept his promise. He didn’t speak. Kagome was stiff in her spot, not quite knowing what move to make next. She hadn’t thought this far ahead. It was hard to think beyond her admittance in the first place. It was too quiet, and she could hear the clock in the living room loudly ticking seconds by.

“Just nod or shake your head; do you still want me to stay?” She asked sheepishly.

Finally, Inuyasha’s glowing stare rose to hers again, and it frighteningly seemed to grow harder, more tense. She saw the rigid muscles of his jaw clench, and his chest rose with the very slow inhale he took through his nose. Steadily, the hanyou responded with a firm nod. In the next moment, he gestured for her to head down the hall to the bathroom with a notch of his chin, which she wasted no time in complying to. Kagome bit her lip, hard, shakily turned on her heel, and left Inuyasha alone in the room.

The second he heard the bathroom door lock and the shower turn on, Inuyasha dropped his seat on the bed, crumbling forward as he braced his forehead in his hands, elbows jabbing into his thighs. His chest was physically aching, his throat tight, and Inuyasha felt thoroughly crushed. He could literally see the fear in her eyes, the anxiety holding her by the neck. Why? Had he given her some reason to worry? Had he made it seem like that was a taboo topic?

It didn’t take long to rationalize. Logically, he knew it wasn’t him. It wasn’t personal. And, he knew that because he knew exactly how it felt to be afraid of unadulterated vulnerability. It felt like you were naked, exposed to the world, trusting someone with something so valuable and important when you weren’t even sure if you could trust yourself with something like that. It was hard. It was nerve wracking.

But, there was something deeper to it.

Why else would she insist he didn’t respond? It was clear as day. He knew that feeling. He’d been hurt before, too. They’d been together for almost half a year, he knew a good portion of her story, and she knew just as much about his. It was impossible to know it all quite yet, though. Five, six months may seem like a long time to some, but it’s honestly nothing in retrospect. They’re just scratching the surface. He knew the general aspects about her abusive father, he knew she had an emo phase in high school, he knew the superficial shit like her favorite colors, foods, drinks, what medications she needed to take and how often, he knew how she tasted, her tickle spots, where the heating pads were stashed in her apartment - because she had multiple for easy accessibility depending on what room she was in while she was down for the count on her period, and he knew she’d had her heart broken before. But, he didn’t know every little detail about certain things yet.

Inuyasha had had his heart broken before, as well. He knew that feeling. He knew how gruesome and tedious it was to start over, how awful the idea of opening up all over again was, how awkward and weary it felt to tiptoe around specific subjects until you felt comfortable enough describing them, so on and so forth. He knew. Just, apparently, not as well as Kagome did. He was willing to guess that her heart wasn’t just broken. It was trampled on.

His most recent relationship was up and down. He and his ex were never on the same page. He fell quickly but his feelings were unrequited. Then, later on, she began to show more affection, but he’d become closed off by the time that came. Nevertheless, neither of them spoke those words. They never truly opened up about what they felt, how they felt, or why they felt anything, especially romantically. Up until now, Inuyasha had never heard the words, “I’m in love with you.”

Up until recently, Inuyasha had never felt the urge to say, “I’m in love with you.”

No.

That’s wrong.

Sure, recent was a broad term, but it happened several months ago. Several months too soon, he’d deemed. Kagome was playing with his niece, teaching the six year-old how to use a toy compass she’d brought home from class, and congratulating her excitedly whenever Rin got something right. His niece wasn’t shy by any means. She was talkative, playful, bubbly, and bright. But, she had this thing about being touched. She didn’t like it. Only certain somebodies could hold her, hugs were off the table unless you were one of four people, high fives were a maybe, and yet he watched the little girl ask Kagome to watch a movie with her when she was done with the compass, cuddle up next to her on the couch, and fall asleep on her lap without persuasion.

That was it. Kagome respected Rin’s autonomy and boundaries, and Rin let her in by the third time they’d met.

And, Inuyasha fell. Hard.

Again, too soon. So, not saying it was easy. No big deal. After a while, it sort of began spilling out in his idiosyncrasies, in the way he touched her, worshipped her, in the way he craved the knowledge on how to properly care for her. In his terms, he was being painfully obvious. It was almost humiliating how obvious he was being.

It just looks like it wasn’t obvious enough. How could he have expected her to understand? It’s not like she was fluent in his body language or habits. At this point, if she needed it spelled out to her, he’d happily do so.

Because, despite her overwhelming and damn near crippling fear she’d just waded through, Kagome still told him the truth. Kagome courageously stood there, attempted to look him in the eyes, and told him she loved him, no matter how scared or nervous she appeared. If he needed to say it back in order for her to understand, he could return the gesture without hesitation.

First, though, he needed to comprehend what was going through that head of hers. He wasn’t going to jump to conclusions. This wasn’t the time to do so. What she was feeling, that look in her eyes, it stemmed from something deep, something that wasn’t quite healed. He needed, desperately needed, to know what happened. He’d promised to keep his mouth shut earlier, but he hadn’t promised how long he’d hold that. She may have meant about that topic entirely, but that was something he couldn’t and wouldn’t agree to. There was no way in hell he was going to let this slide. Eventually, they were going to have to discuss this.

Now was that time.

Inuyasha suddenly stood, filled with a rage that had surfaced as soon as she shakily asked him if he still wanted her to stay, feeling so irate that he could only clench his fists and pace the floor. There was a good fucking chance this originated with her ex. Maybe her father, but his gut told him otherwise. The things he knew about that relationship were vague. Kagome didn’t like to fixate on it, which was reasonable for anyone who’d moved on, and they never really found a good time to open up about nitty gritty details pertaining to failed relationships; they were more focused on one another and their individual lives. He was fuming. What the fuck had that motherfucker done?

He knew they broke up over two years ago. He knew he’d dumped her just before their anniversary. He knew their relationship wasn’t entirely horrible, but much like he and his own ex-girlfriend, they were rarely on the same page. That’s about it, though. He’d heard a thing or two about how she’d realized way after they’d broken up just how toxic their relationship actually was - one of those late night, shower-thought epiphanies - but she never much elaborated. Hell, she talked about it all so rarely, Inuyasha had even forgotten the fucker’s name. He was her ex-boyfriend so that naturally deemed him irrelevant, because Inuyasha was her current boyfriend and that was all that fucking mattered. But, now he wished he remembered because it would make it at least a little easier to track the bitch ass down and punch his lights out.

She’d opened the door, and he needed to know what was on the other side of it. Inuyasha not only craved, but found it a foundational necessity to understand what had her so anxious to tell him how she felt. First, he recognized he needed to calm down. He couldn’t approach this with heightened emotion because it would cause Kagome to feel insecure and unsafe, which he would never allow her to feel around him.

That was hard for him to do, though. To swallow his frustration, push it aside. He felt things passionately, much like Kagome did. For her, for the light he always looked to for a sense of peace and felicity, for the woman he respected and cherished, he would do it. He could do it.

It took a moment, but Inuyasha left his room and headed to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water to sip on and an extra one for his girlfriend. The shower had stopped running moments ago, and the hairdryer was now blowing. She was biding time. Kagome, more often than not, let her hair air dry. This was killing him. The fact that she was so afraid, so nervous, the fact that she felt anything but contentment in the face of pure and unbridled emotion. Inuyasha just wanted to burst through the bathroom door and tell her to stop, demand she look him in the eyes and say it again and watch how he would never turn away from her. What could he have possibly said that had her more content with silence?

Content wasn’t what she’d felt at all though, was it? Even after he’d kept his mouth shut, Kagome was still trembling, still incredibly uncomfortable.

He was going to the bottom of this.

But, something in his heart wrenched. Overall, he just hoped with everything he had that she didn’t regret telling him.

There was careful deliberation on where he should wait for her. He’d debated standing outside the bathroom door to guide her back with him, but that would apply a lot of pressure straight from a safe zone. There was always the option to sit on the couch until she emerged, but still, he was worried she’d feel like she was under a spotlight. No matter what, Inuyasha was going to be taking her back into his bedroom. It was cozy and comfortable, and he just wanted to fucking hold her. The best course of action was to let Kagome come to him. When she was ready. No matter how much patience wasn’t his virtue. So, he ambled back through the doorway with both water bottles in hand, placing them on the nightstand as he got himself into more comfortable clothing. He’d never finished changing after dropping his shirt on the floor. He grabbed his grey sweats off the end of the bed and shoved his legs into them after removing his jeans, then fished a black tank top out of his dresser, easily and quickly pulling it over his head.

It wasn’t a bad thing that she’d told him. Kagome should be proud of herself. Over and over again, she’d repeated that in her head, but she couldn’t stop herself from feeling like she’d done something wrong. Maybe she’d put him on the spot and made him uncomfortable. She should have at least given him the space to tell her he wasn’t ready to say it back if that was how he felt. That she would have completely and wholeheartedly understood without fault.

Now she was stuck in an unknown area, her head was foggy, her fingers kept trembling, and her eyes were puffy from crying like a baby in the shower. The goal was to tell him how she felt. It was a step in the right direction. A step toward who she truly was behind the protective walls. From this point on, depending on how Inuyasha was feeling, it might be best to pretend nothing happened. Sweep it under the rug.

Everything was so conflicting, so turbulent, and Kagome could bring herself to do nothing but stare at the bathroom doorknob. Her hair was dry, she was dressed in her borrowed outfit, smelling purely of Inuyasha, and even though he still wanted her to stay, she couldn’t believe anything other than the possibility that she’d ruined everything.

What would happen once she exited the bathroom? Would things be uncomfortable? Would he be laying down in bed, facing the wall away from her, silent? Would he ignore her? Would he say something she was terrified to hear right now? Or, was she trapped in her unhealthy thoughts? Was she preparing a response to something that wasn’t waiting for her outside that door? Was she not giving Inuyasha the opportunity to respond in his own, organic way, expecting all the responses she was trained to anticipate before?

With a deep breath, Kagome reached for the knob, twisting it to exit. The apartment was as quiet as it was when she locked herself inside, the clock in the living room ticking loudly as she slowly sauntered through. Lights were dim, but the bedroom, through the opened door, was inhabited. The lamps shaded the white walls in warm hues, and as she got closer she noticed a very soft hum of music playing through the bluetooth speakers he had set up in there, quiet but still melodic and comforting.

Though her heart was pounding and a jittery sensation within her chest was causing her to tread cautiously, she followed the path into his bedroom, spotting Inuyasha sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. He was quick to notice her presence, sitting up and glancing at her, and even though she faked a smile with a curious notch of her head, it was clear he saw right through her. How wouldn’t he? If he already didn’t know her so well, it was obvious she wouldn’t go from cripplingly apprehensive before her shower to sweet and happy immediately after.

Inuyasha noticed the pink in her cheeks, the stupidly cute but feigned upturn of her plush lips, the way her deep eyes bounced away from him before coming right back only to repeat the same motions. His Kagome. His sweet, hurting, beautiful Kagome.

With an arch of his brow, the hanyou wagged his finger at her, ushering her over to sit on his lap. She was hesitant at first. She knew what was coming, but still, despite her slight discomfort, he released a small, breathy chuckle so she knew he wasn’t upset with her.

“C’mere.” He requested softly, patting his thighs.

“What?” Kagome returned, unsure.

“I want you. C’mere.”

Slowly, she crossed the floor, accepting her boyfriend’s support as she straddled his lap and got comfortable. An uncontrollable pout formed on her face when he looked into her eyes, she felt it, and humiliation washed over her, causing her to hide her expression between his shoulder and neck.

Inuyasha was patient, making sure she was secure in her seat before his hands traveled over her. At first, he couldn’t help but hug her tight. In this moment, Kagome seemed so fragile and he could already feel her body shaking against him. She knew he was going to talk whether she liked it or not.

Still, he gave her a little more time, relaxing against him, her chest melting on his, her arms wrapped around his shoulders but accepting his full support as his hands rubbed over her back soothingly.

“You want to tell me what happened back there?” He asked, opening back up the topic.

“Did I do it wrong?” Kagome spoke, her voice small.

“I’m not worried about right and wrong here, baby. Can you look at me for a second?”

Carefully, Kagome leaned back, giving him the attention he requested. His large, warm hands cradled her jaw, his thumbs caressing her cheeks, his eye contact firm.

“I never want you to be afraid to tell me something, okay? Especially, how you feel.”

Immediately, Kagome began to crumble. Her cheeks grew hot and her lips twitched downward sadly. Tears too quickly threatened her eyes, and Kagome was hasty to hide her face in his shoulder again.

“I need you to talk to me, Kagome. What’s going on?” He asked, returning to rubbing her back. In the silence as he waited, he picked up the back hem of the large shirt she wore, pushing his hands beneath so he could gently massage her skin. The heat from her, the softness, he craved it right now. “Was it something I did?”

Kagome fervently shook her head against him.

“I’m never going to understand unless you tell me, baby. That wasn’t the normal amount of nervousness you’d expect when saying something like that. So, what’s going on?”

“I just didn’t want you to feel obligated to say it back if you weren’t ready.” Kagome sniffled, hugging him tighter.

“Okay, I get that. And, what else?”

“That’s all.”

“You can’t lie to me.”

“Can we just pretend nothing happened and go back to our happy date night?” She whined playfully.

“Unfortunately, no.” Inuyasha chuckled, catching her small attempt at laughing off her problems. “I can’t do that while you’re crying on me, Kagome.”

“I’m not crying.” She sniffled again.

“Oh? You’re not?”

“Nope. These are just allergies.”

“And, what are you suddenly allergic to?”

“Feelings.” Kagome giggled, though she began crying harder, only because her boyfriend was being sweet and obviously getting through to her. She both hated and loved it at the same time.

Inuyasha kissed her shoulder, holding her a little tighter as his hand slipped higher up her bare back. The curve from her little slouch against him had her spine popping out slightly, and ever so softly, Inuyasha traced his fingers over the bones.

“What were you so afraid of me saying?” He all but whispered.

Mustering up some courage, Kagome leaned back, using one hand to meagerly clear her messy face of tears. She took a few unsteady breaths before speaking, her eyes falling to the hem of the collar of his black top, and she allowed her fingers to distractingly drag along it.

“I didn’t want you to tell me you loved me if you weren’t ready or felt pressured, because I don’t want you to take it back later on.”

The hanyou’s brows furrowed inquisitively and he was unable to bite back the reaction of his head cocking to the side in bemusement.

“What?” He almost hissed. “Why would I do that?”

Kagome didn’t answer, continuing to play with the shirt he wore.

“Kagome, why are you afraid of that happening? Don’t tell me -“ Inuyasha had to tense his breath in his lungs to refrain from letting his upset get the better of him. “Did your ex…?”

She responded with the littlest nod, worrying her bottom lip incessantly. “Multiple times.”

“Multiple times?” He echoed on an exhale, his expression widening. His hands were holding her hips, squeezing as comfortingly as possible, but Inuyasha was struck cold. Not only had someone shattered her, but someone managed to look at this woman on top of him and take back their love on more than one occasion? This girl? How? He’d only had her for half a year and he was scared shitless of losing her, so it didn’t make any fucking sense that someone would just toss her aside like that as if she meant nothing.

Slowly, Kagome curled forward, tucking herself against his shoulder. It was like a safety net. Inuyasha was so warm, he held her perfectly every time she felt emotional and vulnerable. As much as she didn’t want to talk about this, she knew this topic would come up eventually. It was a staple of her by now, something she was clearly conditioned to expect after years of receiving it, and even before she fell in love with the man stroking her back beneath her shirt, she knew this issue would arise. It wasn’t going to be easy or quick to work through, that was a given, and she knew he was ultimately going to need to know some of the toxic occurrences of her previous relationship; things that were done to her and things she’d done, as well. She’d considered it was going to be something he’d want clarity on as soon as she admitted her feelings. It was fair. Being on the other end of things, he deserved to know what she’d been through and why she inadvertently responded the way she had.

It was just hard. It was hard to think about and hard to talk about.

But, if she could power through her fear of admitting her feelings, then she could give him everything else, too. It was another step in the right direction, no matter how unsteady the pathway seemed.

“I told him I loved him first, and he responded by telling me I shouldn’t. He was my first love, so I didn’t really know how to react or what to say to that. It’s not like I could just take it back or agree or something.”

“Right.” Inuyasha almost hummed, listening intently to her explanation as he kissed her shoulder here and there.

“Almost a year later, he told me he was falling in love with me. A few months after that, he took it back and said he wasn’t so sure anymore since we’d been arguing.”

The half demon couldn’t control his reaction to hold Kagome a little tighter. It was like an attempt to protect her from things he knew he couldn’t begin to protect her from. If he could control it, no one would ever speak to her like that. No one would ever hurt her this way. No one would ever be able to apply that pressure to her shoulders, because how could she not feel obligated to be perfect and compliant in order to feel valued and cherished?

“Then, I don’t know how long later, he told me he loved me again. It stayed consistent for a while. He’d tell me periodically, particularly when I did nice things for him or if I said it first. Then, again, he ended up taking it back. I had felt it that time and asked him if he still loved me. He said, ‘I don’t know.’ Followed by,” Kagome’s fingers clutched Inuyasha’s shirt, exhaling tremblingly, though she had been doing so well at keeping it together. “‘Maybe soon I’ll love you again, though.’ So, I idiotically stayed. I held onto that hope. I waited and waited until we got into this stupid fight and he broke up with me the next day. He made sure to emphasize that he didn’t love me. But, said he might in the future, we’d just need to stay friends. ‘You never know what the future stores.’”

God, Inuyasha wanted to kill him.

“There was one night after we finally found separate places, we were packing, getting ready to move out of our shared apartment, and we were talking about old things. He told me he never loved me. And, I just never understood why things went on for so long just because he wasn’t sure. Why would you say it if you didn’t? Why couldn’t he have let me go sooner? What good was I if he didn’t even want me there? I wasn’t strong enough to leave, but he was because he literally hung that over my head for most of the time we were together, threatening me with leaving if I didn’t do something right. I have so many things to work through because of him, so many trauma responses to correct, trust issues that I’m projecting unto you, and he walked away like nothing ever happened.” Kagome cried, once again shaking against Inuyasha.

All he could do was kiss her, hush her soothingly, hold her tight, rub the hot flesh of her back. Let her cry. He understood now. He got it. It was why she struggled to take compliments the first time around. It was why she second-guessed sweet gestures. It was why she assumed everything was sarcastic and insincere. It was why she thought her love for him was problematic. She didn’t want him to say anything because she was scared of the words, “I love you.” They meant nothing to some people, they were used as tools, and so easily, they could be erased. Sad thing was, Inuyasha was sure that even if he said the words right here and now, she wouldn’t even believe him.

“Of course, he’s obviously not the sole reason for why I am the way that I am. Can’t give him credit for everything.” Kagome gave a wet giggle, again laughing through her problems. Her coping mechanisms were all over the place, but it was still cute.

Inuyasha sighed defeatedly, laughing lightly as he rested his head on her shoulder.

“So,” He breathed. “You didn’t want me to say anything because you figured nothing was better than something I could hurt you with.”

Her silence was as good as confirmation.

Inuyasha pulled her in firmer, an arm supporting her low back as he picked her up, rotated their bodies, crawled a little further on the bed, and laid her beneath him on the mattress. He had a knee between her legs, but rested on her side, an elbow propping him up while he used his free hand to gently swipe her tears away.

“It was more because I didn’t want you to feel pressured.” Kagome finally spoke after moments of peaceful silence, taking the opportunity he provided to calm down before continuing. “But, then I started to panic. I felt like this is supposed to be a good thing, right? Not everyone is going to respond the way he does, right? I just wanted to tell you so bad. It’s supposed to be a good thing, but I got trapped in my head thinking history would only repeat itself.”

“Baby, are you sure you were ready to tell me?” Inuyasha inquired, dragging his finger along her temple to clean the tears that followed gravity.

She nodded, her bottom lip quivering. “It’s bad enough that I’m afraid of love. I didn’t want to allow myself to sink and be afraid to love, too. That’s not me. I feel like I’d only be letting him stick around in my mind if I did that, but I just want to love you. I do.” Kagome cried, eyes falling away from him. “I wanted you to know, and I’ve been holding onto it long enough.”

Inuyasha leaned his head down, kissing her shoulder. It wasn’t enough for him. He needed to feel her skin beneath his lips so he pulled the baggy collar away so he could leave a tender and invisible mark on her clavicle.

“How long?” The hanyou breathed.

“A month or so.” She matched his soft tone, trying to steady her lungs and bring herself back to a calm. “The night you went on your business trip.”

“Europe?”

“Mhm.”

“Not too bad. It was the groggy voice, huh?”

Though her eyes were still wet and the hair at the sides of her temples were soaked, her cheeks flushed, Kagome glanced back over to him with a hint of surprise. “How’d you know?”

“Because, I knew I’d get a response from you. Always do.” He smirked, planting sweet kisses against her cheek, and moving up to kiss tears away.

“You know I like that?”

“It’s my job to read you like a book, baby. I take my work very seriously. You’re subtle, but I see things I do that you like. You’ve got little mannerisms that give you away.”

“Like what?”

He hummed a decline. “I’m not giving that secret to you. Let me have this. You know what I will tell you?”

“Hm?”

“Do you promise to hear me out? No interrupting, okay? Just listen to me.”

There was an increase in the tension that climbed through her muscles, and her pout turned weary. Inuyasha took a moment to continue kissing her temple, her cheekbone, his palm finding its way beneath her shirt to softly stroke her tummy. When she relaxed a little, he leaned back to look at her.

“Remember that day Rin took a nap with you? I stayed up that night. Couldn’t sleep. I had you here next to me, and I just couldn’t stop listening to the sound of your breathing. I was scared shitless, but the crazy fucking part was, even though you weren’t awake, having you right here helped keep me calm. It was counterintuitive. I was both scared of you and at peace with you. I wanted you to wake up and do that thing where you tickle the small of my back with your fingers because, god, nothing feels better than that. It was like you held all of me in the palm of your hands, and you could easily drop it in the trash at any given moment. But, it’s you. I knew you wouldn’t. That was my night, though. That was the moment I realized I was in love with you.”

Kagome hardened slightly, and he could literally hear how hard her heart was thumping within her chest. She didn’t smile, didn’t frown, didn’t make much of any expression really, aside from her brows giving a minor, inward twitch.

“That was quite a few months ago. Nothing’s changed. If anything, it’s gotten deeper. I’m so worried one day you’ll walk out those doors and never come back. I don’t want to lose you just as badly as you don’t want to lose me.” He was the one to hide his face this time, tucking it within her neck as he threaded his arms around her back, holding her close. He hadn’t expected her to clutch him in return, but she did. Immediately. Kagome supported him through his own moment of vulnerability, but more importantly, he felt it was a way to communicate her reception. “I don’t care how many times I have to say it until you begin to believe me. I don’t care what I have to do to make you feel secure in our relationship. I’ll do it all. You know I don’t say shit unless I mean it.”

“I believe you.” Kagome whispered, a small hiccup at the tale end that jostled her chest. “That’s the scary part.”

He nodded again, pulling away to gently press his forehead to hers for a moment.

“I get it.” Inuyasha breathed before leaning back to look her in the eyes. “But, one of these days you’ll understand that no matter what happens, I won’t take a damn thing back. You’ll see that I don’t want it back. I feel like my heart’s safer with you, anyway.”

“Stop it.” She pouted, but he knew that was her way of conceding. Even as she cried a little harder and tucked herself into his chest so he couldn’t see it. “You’re being too sweet. Be mean to me again.”

Inuyasha chuckled, raising his hand, “As you wish.” He said, smacking it down against her butt.

The little yelp she released was so sad but adorable as she flinched away from the sting, but it inadvertently brought her to cuddle closer to him. The hanyou laughed, brushing his fingers through her hair and massaging her scalp.

“Can you do something for me?” He asked.

“Hm?” She grumbled into his chest.

“Tell me again. This time look right at me. Don’t look away, don’t fidget, just trust me. That was my first time hearing it. I gotta hear it straight.”

She hadn’t realized Inuyasha hadn’t heard the words before. She didn’t know that. This was big for him too, if not bigger. Was she his first love? Was she the first person he’d ever said that to? Kagome felt a warmth course through her, and even though she was slightly nervous, she didn’t feel unsteady. Not while he held her. Not while his amber eyes were above her, watching her with an emotion she’d never before seen. She came out of hiding with a level of ease she hadn’t felt a moment ago, secure, one of his hands lightly trailing her side beneath her borrowed shirt.

Her fingers had a mind of their own, reaching for his cheek as she softly caressed it, her thumb tenderly rubbing over his bottom lip. “I love you, Inuyasha.”

It was like a sigh of relief left his lungs, and the corners of his mouth inched upward. His eyes were hooded with affection, and he leaned down to kiss her, lingering on her soft lips.

“Your turn.” Kagome whispered as he pulled away, her brown eyes shifting from his eyes to his lips.

It felt incredible that she wanted to hear it now. And, though he knew everything was going to take time until she felt comfortable with the idea that he wouldn’t take a damn thing back, he knew it would take time to work through her trust issues little-by-little, he didn’t mind. Because, she was his and he was hers, and he was all too happy to hold her hand and walk by her side while they figured everything out. He couldn’t fix this for her. He hated that he couldn’t take her pain away. That’s not how it worked, though. He knew this. She knew this. Inuyasha was her partner through everything, and he’d be the best fucking partner he could be.

He grinned with their foreheads pressed together, his hand on her waist gripping tighter as he couldn’t help but chuckle from sheer bliss. “God, I’m so fucking in love with you.”

Kagome smiled, pushing Inuyasha over to roll on top, once more straddling his hips as she gazed down at him. She wanted to burn this image of him in her mind. She never wanted to forget that soft look in his eyes, or the way he reached up and tenderly wiped away any remaining tears that stained her face. He meant it. She believed him. And, she hoped with everything inside of her that he never took it away from her.

She curled down, cuddling into her chest and Inuyasha immediately turned his head to kiss her forehead. He held her close, gently stroking her hair back and basking in her incredibly comforting heat. He loved her. He loved her so goddamn much. His Kagome.

“What do you need right now, baby?”

“Nothing.” She hummed.

“What do you want, then.”

He knew she struggled with that one, but whenever he asked, she did her best to communicate properly. “Touch my butt again.”

Inuyasha laughed huskily, his hands gliding down her back to take a firm and wonderful hold on her ass.

“And, pizza.”

“Oh, see, I’m a step ahead of you on that one. Ordered a couple before you got out of the shower.”

Kagome gave a short half whine - half squeal of happiness as she cuddled in closer and kissed his neck. “Thank you.”

#inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #inukag #inuyasha fanfiction #Inukag fanfiction #stay #akitokihojo #hurt/comfort #inuyasha fanfic #inuyasha fic #Inukag fanfic #Inukag fic

[musette22]

hey Minnie! I hope your day turned out to be a great one!

over the past few weeks I took a break from reading countless stucky fics (agh assignments🙄) and last week I came across some intriguing fics which involved some other ships I adore from different fandoms and indulged myself a little. And after reading 3 fics, I realized that no other ship and fanfiction relating to it can make me feeeel what I feel when I read a stucky fic- like I don't mean to disrespect the authors because the other fics were really awesome but I don't know! I cannot properly describe it. The thrill, the joy, the sadnesss (i love me some angst with a happy ending ofc!) that courses through me when I read the beautiful beautiful stucky fics that this wonderful fandom has to offer. Reading stucky fics is a truely unmatched feeling😩

In other words, this is just me realizing (not for the first time) that Steve & Bucky will forever be my number one OTP and I am very much okay with that💘 and that the creators of this amazing fandom have spoiled me rotten with their glorious fanfics and fanarts to the point where nothing else compares❤️ and that I love every. single. one. of. them. with my whole heart <3

Hello sweetheart!! My day was really good, thank you! I hope yours was too?

Aahhh I love hearing this, actually 🥺 Thank you for telling me! I very, very much relate to what you're describing here. I've always been an avid reader, so of course I've read plenty of other amazing (love) stories that I've really enjoyed over the years, but there is just something about this ship that gets to me like nothing else has gotten to me before. No matter how much I read or think about them, I can't get enough of them. There's just this bottomless well of love and fascination for them inside of me that I keep drawing from and it never seems to run dry. It truly is the ship that launched a thousand (well, more like thousands and thousands) fanworks and inspired SO many people, and that's all because Steve and Bucky's story, and their love (and Chris and Sebastian's chemistry) are just very fucking special.

So yes, I completely know what you mean, and I'm so happy to hear Stucky is your forever number one, and it's very much the same for me! 💘

#stucky #minnie answers

[keanureevesisbae]

The alluring charm of Henry Cavill - Chapter 8

Summary: The Celebrity Project has ended, however there is still a little event, where the contestants comment on favorite moments selected by fans. However, there is one big revelation.

Henry Cavill x Adelaide Park (ofc)

Wordcount: 2.6k

Warnings: Just messing with the otp, that’s all

Masterlist // Previous chapter // Next chapter

Three days pass. Henry and I are still in the cottage, but there are no cameras around us. I think I am and will be forever grateful that they are gone now. We can finally breath and act like a normal couple. Thanks to the Celebrity Project, I met Henry and I’m thankful that I did, but those camera’s are a pain in the ass and will never be missed.

Jennifer Lopez and Charlie Puth showed everyone that they were a whole lot better than the rest of us. Henry and I came in second, but we are fan favorites and to be honest: I think that is the best prize I could’ve ever won. Tonight there is a special live event with the other duos and after that, it’s officially over.

I can’t wait for that.

I keep trying to make some lunch for Henry and me, but ever since the camera’s are gone, Henry has turned into a piece of velcro. He distracts me with kisses on my temple, wraps his strong arms around my waist as he stands behind me. ‘Stop tickling me,’ I chuckle, as he pushes up my shirt, so he can touch my bare skin.

‘I’m not tickling you,’ he retorts with a chuckle. ‘I’m hugging you.’

‘You are tickling me,’ I laugh. ‘Come on, Henry, pasta will be ruined.’

He simply shrugs. ‘I don’t care.’

‘You are awfully clingy,’ I note. ‘What is up with you?’

Henry reaches over to turn off the gas and turns me around, to hide his face in my neck, kissing me there. ‘Just obsessed with you.’ He bites his lip when he looks at me again. ‘You look beautiful, Addy. Every time I look at you, you are even more beautiful than you were the last time I saw you.’

This should not make me blush, but obviously it does anyways. Everything he says and does to me, I turn into a giggling and blushing mess. ‘Shut up,’ I whisper.

‘No, never.’ He hoists me up in his arms with a satisfied grin on his face and carries me as if I’m nothing to the couch.

I sit on his lap and whisper: ‘What are you doing, Henry?’

He takes a deep breath, as he frowns a bit. ‘Am I going too fast?’ he then asks. ‘I can stop if you want me to, Addy.’

‘No, no,’ I say. ‘I like this, I really do, but it’s real now. I haven’t done this when it’s real.’ I simply shrug and add: ‘And now you stare at me and I figure there is so much going on inside your head and I have no idea what.’

His hands rest on my hips, his eyes locked with mine and a small smile toys on his face. ‘You want to know what is going on inside my head?’

‘Yes.’

‘I keep thinking about how I’m so lucky. I didn’t even want to participate,’ he admits. ‘But I met you here and fell in love so quickly. I have never fallen in love with anyone this fast. I keep asking myself what I did to deserve you. You deserve so much better than this. Better than me.’

I shake my head. ‘Don’t cut yourself short like that, Henry. If there is someone who doesn’t deserve this, it’s me. And don’t you dare to tell me otherwise.’

But Henry wouldn’t be Henry, because he already opens his mouth, daring to tell me otherwise. I lean in, to shut him up with a kiss. While he lets it happen and I fully surrender myself to his lips, his words keep running through my mind. He is falling in love with me. I’m falling in love with him.

When I let go, I let out a shaky breath. So much is running through my mind. Love, fear, lust.

‘Come here,’ he whispers, pulling me close to his chest as I melt against his frame. ‘You are tense. What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing.’ However, I just come to a realization. ‘Oh my.’

‘What is it?’

‘Are you my boyfriend?’

Henry starts to laugh, letting his head fall back.

‘Why are you laughing at me?’ I ask him, slapping him across his chest. ‘Forget I asked.’ I already want to step off his lap, however he is faster and stronger. He pulls me flush against his chest. ‘Let me go,’ I laugh.

‘I wasn’t laughing at you, Addy. I was laughing because you are adorable. If you want me to be your boyfriend, I’d be honored.’

Good thing I was already blushing. ‘You want me as your girlfriend?’ I ask him.

‘I’d love that.’ He places his hands on both sides of my face and runs his thumbs over my lips. ‘You are beautiful and my girlfriend.’ He sounds so giddy and my heart misses a few beats. ‘My girlfriend Adelaide Park.’

◎ ◎ ◎

Henry has wrapped his thick arm around my shoulders as we sit outside our cottage in front of some large screens. We are catching up with the other couples and Jennifer mentions something about not being able to wait until she can sleep in her own bed again and not hearing Charlie snore again.

‘And from the looks of it,’ Justin says to me, ‘You two will be sharing a bed more often.’

‘Don’t say stuff like that,’ I chuckle, as I am nearly puking with embarrassment.

Justin starts to chuckle. ‘So, what did you two do these days without camera’s?’

His wife Hailey slaps his stomach. ‘Don’t tease her like that. Look at her cheeks.’ She turns to Henry and says: ‘Come on, mister Witcher, protect your girl.’

Henry only clears his throat and Justin quickly tells us that he won’t do it anymore. The energy Henry Cavill possesses.

I now know for a fact that I should never ever let him go.

Jennifer quickly gives a short speech, telling us how great it was to get to know us, to be part of this first ever season of the program and how much she would love it, if we would do a reunion after a few months.

We watch some fan reactions of the last episode and much to my dismay, we have to rewatch our kiss a billion times. It’s embarrassing to watch the first time, but it’s not getting any easier the fourth or eight time.

‘Look at this response on Twitter,’ Jennifer laughs. ‘“They are so cute, it makes me wanna hurl”. You two are disgustingly cute, that’s a truth.’

The night continues and I hum in content when I know it’s almost over. We watch footage of us when we first arrived here, the only ones not being awkward, were Justin and Hailey obviously.

‘But, what was Henry like before he started here?’ the voiceover of a man sounds through the boxes. He tenses up beside me and I look at him, before I return my eyes back to the screen again.

Henry is in an office I don’t recognize, with men I don’t know. ‘I have to work with her?’ I hear Henry ask, as he is looking at my headshot. ‘This is so unfair. Have you any idea how unfair this is? I’m supposed to win this thing. How am I gonna win this, if I have to work with her?’

I swallow hard, as I stare at the screen and sit up straight. I shrug off his arm from my shoulders. Is this real?

‘We never said it would be easy, Henry,’ I hear someone else say. ‘But work with Adelaide, make sure you two can win this thing and please, don’t make it too obvious what your intentions are.’

I feel tears in my eyes. Intentions…

‘Fine, but when I win, James Bond is mine?’ Henry asks.

‘Addy, listen to me,’ Henry whispers, but I don’t. I listen to what is happening on the screen. I recognize this, when the screen switches to outside. This was the day we went shopping, the day where we snuck in kisses.

‘You’re losing, Henry. You what that means, right? You’re not getting James Bond,’ a different male voice says.

‘We’re not too far behind,’ Henry answers. ‘I’ll get her to man up, so we can win this.’

I think I would’ve preferred if Henry just punched my nose back into my face. I’ll get her to man up? Did he seriously just say that.

‘And, I never knew you were such a good actor. I almost believed you actually care about her.’

On screen Henry sighs. ‘Maybe after this, I’ll get even more jobs.’

The air has turned cold as ice. Everyone is quiet and I stare at the blacked out screen. The only thing I hear is the pounding of my heart in my ears. My eye twitches as my jaw clenches. I need to get out of here. I need to get away from him.

Henry carefully places a hand on my back, but I stand up and walk inside. Thankfully we were at our cottage, since it has the best lighting, so I’m back there in a few seconds. I slam the door shut behind me and rush to the living room.

I should’ve known. I should’ve fucking known. This was obviously too good to be true. How could I be such an idiot?  Finally, fucking finally I have cleared my reputation of being so stupid and ditzy and now this happens. The whole world knows I simply fell for Henry Cavill, because I was easy.

I’m such a dumb cow.

‘Addy, let me explain,’ Henry says, who walks into our bedroom. No wait, not our bedroom. The bedroom. A bedroom.

I grab my suitcase before I place it on the bed. ‘What is there to explain?’ I ask him, as I start folding my clothes. ’It was pretty fucking obvious to me. You only par- parti- par-ti-ci-pa-ted to get that stupid James Bond part. You don’t like me, despite what you said to me. You just used me to get the job and more job offers.’ I push passed him, to grab my stuff from the bathroom.

At that exact moment a cameraman barges in, not wanting to let this moment go to waste, but somehow I don’t seem to care. I don’t even want to care. I’m just too mad at him right now to give a damn.

‘I didn’t use you,’ Henry says.

I open the door a lot harder than I’m supposed to, letting it smash against the wall, as my eyes fill with tears, all because of his wrong doing. ‘Enlighten me, Henry, what did you do then? Because judging from what you and I just watched and the rest of the world just watched, it made it seem like you were using me to get what you wanted.’

He sighs. ‘I meant what I said to you. I like you and I am falling in love with you.’

‘Hurray,’ I deadpan. I put everything in my suitcase and close it.

Henry swallows hard. ‘Where are you going?’

‘I’m going to the airport, so I can buy myself a ticket home, to visit my parents. You know, I know for a fact that they care about me for who I am and they would never ever use me the way you used me.’ I stare at my suitcase for a while and seeing my passport on top of it, makes a sob leave my eyes. I hide my face in both of my hands, as my shoulders shake when I cry.

‘No, Addy, please,’ he says, placing his hand on my shoulder, but I slap him away.

‘Stay away from me,’ I spit out, ‘and don’t you dare call me Addy anymore. Let… Le… Let me…’ Why can’t I find the right words to say now? ‘I’m going to tell you a few things and you cannot interrupt me.’

‘Okay,’ he simply says.

‘You stay as far from me as possible. I would like you to never ever mention me in an in… interview again. I don’t want you in my life anymore, neither do I want to be part of yours. You bet… betra…’ I take a deep breath as I try to get the word out of my mouth correctly. ‘You be-tray-ed me, Henry. You used me and I genuinely thought you cared about me. You know how hard it is for me to open up and… Never mind, I just hate the way you make me feel right now.’

‘There isn’t anything I can do to make it up to you?’ he asks. ‘Because I want to make this up to you. There must be something.’

I shake my head. ‘This isn’t something you can fix. What you told whoever those men were and what you told me… Those things aren’t the same. It’s either one or the other. And yes, you can change your mind, but the least you could’ve done, is told me about it. If you meant what you said to me, you would’ve had the decency to be honest with me. You should’ve told me your second agenda before you told me you fell in love with me, before you kissed me.’

Henry blinks a few times. ‘Adelaide, this can’t be the end.’

‘It’s the end,’ I say with more certainty than I have ever heard myself speak with. I simply grab my suitcases and walk out of the room.

Tears run over my cheeks as I brush passed the others, who want to know if I’m okay, but I’m not. I’m not okay and I know I won’t be for awhile. I need to go to see my dad, to hug my mom. I don’t want to be in Italy anymore, I need to go home and be with them.

I already spot a taxi at the stand, but before I can approach him, I hear a: ‘Adelaide, please wait a second.’

I stop walking and I hear two pair of footsteps. Those stupid camera people, I’m not going to miss them.

‘Don’t I get to say something to you?’ he asks, as he stands in front of me.

‘You said enough behind my back already,’ I tell him. ‘Get out of the way. Don’t make this harder than it already is.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Sorry won’t cut it,’ I tell him, a lot harsher than I did before.

Henry rubs his face, before gently holding my hand. I know I shouldn’t let him do this, but I just want to feel his touch one more time, because I know this is going to be the last time I’ll ever feel it.

‘Henry, please, let me go.’

‘I am willing to do anything in the world to make it up to you, Adelaide Park. You are one of a kind. You are the one that I want to get to know even better.’

‘Don’t,’ I say. ‘Just don’t. Don’t contact me ever again, don’t audition for the part as my love interest and please if you ever see me before I see you, walk away. I can’t have you in my life.’

‘No, please,’ Henry says, holding my hand up to his chest, placing his other on top of his own. ‘I can’t lose you, Adelaide. What I said to my agent, before we met… It was true. I only participated because I wanted James Bond, but what I told you is true as well. I don’t want James Bond anymore. I just want you.’

‘Let me go,’ I say, not looking at him. ‘Please, Henry, now.’

‘Adelaide,’ he whispers.

‘Right now.’

He lets go of my hand and sighs deeply. ‘Is this the end?’ he asks. ‘Please, this can’t be the end.’

My sniffle is his answer and it’s all I can give him. ‘Goodbye, Henry.’

#henry cavill #henry cavill x ofc #henry cavill x oc #henry cavill x asian ofc #henry cavill x adelaide park #henry cavill fandom #henry cavill fanfic #asian ofc #adelaide park #the alluring charm of henry cavill

[sincerelyella]

RAMifications Chapter 4 -  Who Do You Tell?

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Pairings: Liam x MC (Ella); Drake x Alyssa Devereaux

Song Inspiration: Who Do You Tell by Tamia

Characters belong to Pixelberry; MC Ella Brooks belongs to me; Alyssa Devereaux was created by the brilliant mind of @burnsoslow

A/N: This entire idea came from Burnsy and her unBEARable series featuring her OTP Drake and Alyssa. This is Ella’s backstory and how she met the love of her life King Liam of Cordonia and became his Queen. This doesn’t follow much of TRR books, there is still a social season but not all of the players are present. Throw canon out the window!

Catch up here

Thank you to @burnsoslow​ for pre reading/commenting/calming my crazy self down. You know I freaking love you!

Warnings: Maybe adult language and some kissing

Words: 1826

It was the next morning, Ella made herself a cup of coffee, looked through some notes for school and hummed along with Tamia playing over her speakers. I hope I see him today. She bit her lip and thought back to when he kissed her. It was entirely too quick, but she loved how soft his lips were, how his fingers curled into her hips. She wished he didn’t let go of her, his hands gave her a jolt in her heart and her loins. Everything came alive when their lips touched … and then he ruined it by pulling away and saying it was a mistake. Ugh! What the fuck! She finished her coffee with a shake of her head and attempted to push back any thoughts of Liam and his lips. She put away all her notes and got ready to head to work. As she did so, she mentally prepared herself to possibly see him at the palace.

5 hours later

Ella saved her last delivery for the palace until the end of the day. I probably should have just gotten this over with. She sighed and pushed the cart into the large foyer where she met with the same staff member that always greeted her, Thomas.

“Hello Miss Ella.”

“Hi Thomas, where do you want these today?”

“You can leave the cart here, although one bouquet is for a specific person.”

“Oh?” Ella arched her brow. “Do you want me to deliver it?”

Thomas nodded. “Yes ma’am, that was the order I received this morning. I’ll show you to the room.”

Ella just followed Thomas quietly and she suddenly recognized the hallway they were walking down. The pair stopped in front of the person’s door and he knocked.

The door opened a couple seconds later and there stood Alyssa with a wide grin on her face. “Hi Ella! Thomas, thank you for bringing her over.”

“Of course, Lady Alyssa.” Thomas bowed and gave Ella a small smirk as he walked away.

“Come in Ella!” Alyssa grabbed her hand and pulled her inside, shutting the door behind her.

“Hey! These flowers are for you. From Liam? I mean … His Highness?”

Alyssa waved dismissively. “No, not from Liam. I ordered flowers for myself.”

Ella’s head tilted slightly and her brow wrinkled in confusion. “Wait, why?”

“I wanted to talk with you about something.” She sat on her bed and motioned for Ella to sit with her. “Come on!”

Ella obeyed and sat with Alyssa on the bed. “Okay, so you know Liam is a prince.” Ella nodded. “Alright, so he is the Crown Prince of Cordonia. This means that he will be crowned the King of Cordonia in about a month or so.” Ella’s eyes could have popped out of her head. Alyssa lifted her hand when Ella opened her mouth to speak. “Wait for it … okay, so being that he will be crowned the King of Cordonia in a matter of weeks, he is having a social season that’s happening right now. He needs to choose a bride and needs to be engaged in order to rise to succession. Now,” Alyssa took in a breath, “He has five suitors and … I am one of them.”

Ella’s mouth was open, eyes widened in shock for seconds. When she shut her eyes, they were dry from staring at Alyssa without blinking. She finally found her voice, eyes still closed and whispered, “So you” - she opened her eyes and looked at Alyssa - “you are a suitor for Liam?” Her eyes widened again and her voice got louder as she pointed toward Alyssa. “You are trying to … marry Liam?” The more she said it out loud, the more crazy she sounded. Am I fucking dreaming?

Alyssa put both her hands up, palms facing Ella. “I came here for Liam as a suitor originally, yes,” she explained calmly. “I fell in love with Drake in the process. We told Liam about our feelings and our relationship and he was fine with it. But,” Alyssa put her hands down and sighed. “I still had to stay on as his suitor until the coronation. Drake and I have to carry on our relationship in secret. Liam isn’t going to choose me, but I saw how he looks at you, Ella.” She waited until Ella lifted her face to meet her gaze. “I saw the way your eyes welled up the other day when you told me he kissed you and said it was a mistake.”

“Yes, I felt something when he kissed me …” she trailed off and willed those tears that collected in her eyes not to fall.

“He feels something too,” Alyssa said softly. “I brought you here to talk with you, to see if … if you’d like to take my place as a suitor.”

Again, Ella’s eyes widened and she stood up abruptly. “ME? A … suitor for a … prince?!” She started to hyperventilate. “I … I … “ she gasped for air in between trying to speak.

Alyssa stood from the bed and grabbed Ella’s wrists gently. “It’s okay, calm down, just breathe.” The two women’s eyes locked. Ella took a deep breath in through her nose, and let it out slowly through her mouth. “Better?” Ella nodded. “Okay,” Alyssa continued calmly. “Yes. That means you will be competing as a suitor to be with Liam. You want to be with him, don’t you?”

“I’m just a girl from California. I don’t know about” - she waved her hand around the room - “all of this. If I even belong here.”

“Hey, I’m just a girl from New York,” Alyssa smirked. “I flew here on a whim, I wanted adventure, and I’m still alive!” She paused and studied Ella’s facial expression. “You didn’t answer my question, Ella.”

Ella quirked her brow in question.

“Do you want to be with Liam?”

Ella’s mouth opened, shut quickly, then opened again. Do I? She thought back to Liam’s lips on hers, how he held her in his arms, even if it was for a few seconds, she felt … safe. She looked at Alyssa and nodded.

Alyssa suddenly let go of her wrists, wrapped her in a hug and squealed in excitement. “YEAAAAAAAHH!!!!”

Ella laughed and hugged her back. “Okay! Well, now what?”

Alyssa stepped back and grinned. “Now, we go tell Liam.”

Ella’s smile faded. “I have to return the truck to the capitol but, I can come back later?”

Alyssa nodded quickly. “Yes! Come back in a bit and we’ll both talk to Liam! Here,” she took her phone out and handed it to Ella. “Put your number in here and I’ll text you so you have mine. Just let me know when you’re on the way over okay?”

Ella nodded. She handed Alyssa her phone back and headed off to return the work truck.

**

2 hours later

Ella headed back to the palace, texting Alyssa that she was on her way. Is this really happening? She was meeting Alyssa and Drake in the foyer and they’d walk with her to Liam’s room. The car arrived at the palace, she paid the driver and nervously pulled her hooded knit cardigan tighter around herself as she walked up the palace stairs.

She spotted Alyssa and Drake a split second before she had time to react. “Eeeeeeeeeeeee!” Alyssa squealed and ran to envelope Ella in a bone crushing hug. Ella laughed loudly and hugged her back.

“Wow, for a small person, you’re strong,” Ella teased as she rubbed her side.

Alyssa scoffed and pointed her finger at Ella. “I’m the same height as you, woman,” she retorted with an arched brow.

Ella rolled her eyes and smirked. “Alright touché. Hey Drake!”.

“Nice to see you again, Ella. Let’s go see Liam, shall we?”

The women nodded and all three walked down the hallway to Liam’s quarters. They approached his door and the very large guard posted right in front of it stiffened and eyed them suspiciously.

“Come on, Sam, you know me and Alyssa.” Drake waved his hand in Ella’s direction. “This is Ella. The prince is expecting us.”

Sam relaxed a little bit and knocked on the door. Liam opened it a moment later, saw the trio standing there and nodded his head. “I knew they were coming, Sam. Thank you.” The guard bowed and stepped aside for them to enter the room.

Ella followed Drake and Alyssa, she walked by Liam and brushed past his chest, making eye contact with him and flashing a small smile. Liam closed the door and turned to face everyone, but his gaze never left Ella’s. He was getting lost in those eyes again.

“Good evening.”

She peered up at him. Shit, how tall is he? “Hello, Your Highness.”

He smiled softly and took her hands in his. “Just Liam is fine right now,” he whispered and lifted one of her hands to his lips, never breaking eye contact. “I’m glad you’re here, Ella.”

Someone cleared their throat loudly behind them. “Hi Liam! We’re here too!”

Liam chuckled and they both turned to face Drake and Alyssa. “Hello you two. You wanted to speak with me?”

“Yes!” Alyssa exclaimed. “Ella has graciously agreed to take my place in the social season.”

Liam snaps his head to Ella and, again, he’s caught up in her light brown eyes. “Is that true?” He finally whispered.

She couldn’t speak. The way he was looking at her made her heart start to race and she couldn’t swallow the lump in her throat. She just nodded meekly.

He smiled so big and wide that she thought she’d go blind from all the white teeth he flashed at her.

She cleared her throat. “So, what do I do now?”

“Well,” he took a step towards her. “You would need to move into the palace … all the suitors stay here until the end of the season,” he paused, waiting for her to process what he just said. “Then you would meet your sponsors. The Duke of Ramsford and Lord Maxwell Beaumont.”

“Maxwell is so cool, you’ll love him. Bertrand, he grows on you ...” Alyssa trailed off, shrugging.

Ella nodded slowly. “Oh … kay,” she mumbled.

She looks nervous. Liam took another step towards her, kindness in his eyes. “If you would like, I can go over some things with you about the social season. I’m sure Duke Ramsford has more lessons for you, but if I could answer any questions now, I can.”

Liam turned his head towards Drake and they shared a look.

Drake cleared his throat. “Okay, well we’ll leave you to it, goodnight guys.” He grabbed Alyssa’s hand and started tugging her towards the door.

Once they were alone, the pair looked at each other and an awkward silence filled the room.

“You’re … sure this is something you want to do, Ella?”

She met his gaze and remembered what he said to her the other night. “Why was kissing me a mistake, Liam?”

#RAMifications #Liam x MC #Liam x Ella #Liam Rys #trr fanfic #trr fandom #choices trr #trr #trr au #the royal romance #choices the royal romance #the royal romance fandom #the royal romance fanfic #the royal romance fanfiction #the royal romance au #choices liam x mc #choices trr au #choices liam #pixelberry #play choices

[joiedecombat]

💕 🎁

💕 favorite ship to write? 

Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly from Final Fantasy VIII, my original fandom OTP. I’ve probably written more about them than any other fic, and though it’s been a hot minute since I’ve written anything new for FFVIII, Squall and Rinoa and their relationship dynamic have left a permanent mark on my writing - especially Squall, who is eveything I love in a romantic hero.

By which mostly I mean “aloof, stoic professionalism on the outside, utter emotional garbage fire in need of rescue on the inside.”

🎁 have a quote from a WIP? 

I batted back and forth with myself for a while on how deep to dig into my files of unfinished fiction and whether to stick to fanfic or not, considering that how much any of my WIPs can really be said to be in progress is always pretty dubious.

Anyway, here’s two different and unrelated excerpts for you.

“Why make the suggestion in the first place if you’re so against it?”

Because I’m not strong enough.

The answer rested on the tip of his tongue, too bitter to swallow. As much as this whole situation galled him, fact remained fact: he lacked the influence, not to mention the manpower, that it would take to challenge Juliano directly.

He’d grit his teeth and send this woman into the trenches, knowing full well what he was sending her to, because like it or not he needed the opportunity she could give him.

But some things a man in his position couldn’t admit to out loud. Especially not to a woman with eyes like Elizabeth Colvin’s.

This one’s from “Reason or Rhyme,” the Gotham Memoirs Vittorio fic I swear I will get back to when I have the chance.

The other is from an older original piece that is still more conceptual than really planned, but which I still really want to do something with one of these days:

Keeping herself propped up suddenly seemed like far too much effort. As the car’s drivers side door swung open, Raine sank back down onto the corrugated surface of the truck bed and closed her eyes. From there she heard rather than saw him approach, steps light and measured, the long shadow he cast in the headlights flickering against her eyelids: the central figure of all the problems she’d tried to forget.

“Warden.” 

“Special Agent.” 

She’d hoped to sound as calm and dispassionate as he had, but to her own ears her voice just sounded petulant. Saying anything else seemed like a bad idea. Instead she kept her eyes shut, as though if she didn’t acknowledge him any further, he might  go away and leave her alone.

No such luck. 

“What the hell have you been drinking,” he said with a flatness in that rich voice that made it not so much a question as a demand for explanation.

“Two for one margaritas, mostly.” 

She opened one eye to find Alsandír standing at the side of the truck, looking down at her. In the stark backlight of the headlights, he was all sharp contrasts, silver and shadows like some kind of moody artistic photograph in a style there was probably a fancy name for. Chiaro… chiaroscuro. Something Italian like that.

He drew in a slow breath, the line of his jaw shifted fractionally as the corners of his mouth tightened. “With incredibly cheap tequila, by the smell of it. You are in no shape to drive.”

“A very astute observation,” Raine enunciated the words with great care to keep her mouth from stumbling over them like it wanted to. “That’d be why I’m not driving.”

He lifted an eyebrow. 

“So your solution is to spend the night out here?” he asked, a note of incredulity creeping into his tone. “Because that’s safe.”

“Oh, go away,” she muttered sourly, closing her eyes again and lifting a hand to flap it in his direction. “Nobody asked you.”

Her arm caught up short against his palm, and he closed his hand around her wrist -- not a tight grip, but trying to tug free of him proved fruitless. By the time Raine opened her eyes to frown at him, he was already moving around to the tailgate, pulling her up and along with him until her feet touched the ground and she was sitting nominally upright. 

“Hey,” she protested, but he gave no indication that he’d heard.

“Can you stand?”

Insulted, she hissed a breath out through her teeth. “I’m not that drunk.”

He said nothing to that. He just stood there, watching her with that too-steady gaze, inhumanly still except for the barest ruffle of the breeze over his hair. Expectant.

With a half-voiced grumble of capitulation, Raine braced her hand against the tailgate and pushed herself the rest of the way up so that she could sit on her own. It wasn’t standing, but it seemed to satisfy him, because he let go of her wrist and took a single, precise step back. 

“Where are your keys?” he asked her.

She patted her hand against the hip pocket of her jeans, not so much by way of an answer as to reassure herself that she hadn’t done something stupid like leave them in the ignition. The hard edges of the keyring pressed back against her palm, unyielding and familiar. She had just enough time to think that if he meant to take her keys from her, it was going to be a fight, before he said “Good,” and turned away.

Raine sat on the tailgate and watched as he went back to his car, moving around to the passengers’ side to open the door. Her mind felt thick and sluggish, like the summer humidity had crept into her head; when he turned back towards her and said, “Get in,” at first she only blinked.

“...No thanks,” she decided after a moment, and heard him breathe out a quiet sigh.

“I’m not leaving you out here like this.”

Something about the absoluteness in his voice, like he was saying something that had already been decided, had her bunching up her shoulders with rebellious tension. 

“Go to hell,” Raine shot back. “I don’t take orders from you.”

“Dios mío, it’s not an order--” He broke off with a hiss, for once sounding as aggravated as she felt. 

Curling her arms around herself, she hunkered down to rest her forearms against her knees and looked down at the ground. Presently she heard his steps on the gravel again. The distorted length of his shadow split the flood of light from the headlights like a knife as he walked back toward her; even when he stood right in front of her, close enough that if she kicked out it would catch him right about in the kneecap, she kept her head bowed and glowered at the toes of his no-doubt-designer shoes.

“Raine. I am asking you. Please.” The word sounded awkward in his mouth, as though it were something he wasn’t accustomed to pronouncing. Surprise had her lifting her head to find those pale eyes fixed upon her, implacable. “Get in the fucking car.”

For a long, taut moment, neither of them moved. Raine was the one to finally break eye contact, uncurling herself with a little huff. 

“Fine,” she said, “if you’re going to make this much of a thing out of it.”

She gripped the end of the tailgate with both hands, but as she pushed herself off and onto her feet, the ground tilted dizzily underneath her. Off balance, she pitched forward with a very undignified sound, and would’ve planted her face right into his chest if he hadn’t caught her by the shoulders.

Catching the upward quirk of his eyebrow, Raine glared up at him. “Shut up.”

“Mm,” he said, and hitched a steadying arm around her by which to steer her towards his car.

#time princess #gotham memoirs #vittorio puzo #southern gothic urban fantasy procedural romance #fanfic #ask meme #aliboo

[morkofday]

for the character ask...OUR FAV BOY LIU SANG

(*´∇｀*)/💖

i had to come answer this one bc!! my son!!!! aaaaaaahhhh!!!!!! so thank you sob now i can talk about my second sour grape boy,,, wait. ok well, hissy kitten  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  spot the difference (you can’t)

give me a character

(placing this one under a cut too bc oh boy. i have things to say about liu sang)

How I feel about this character

Good lord. I feel so many ways about Liu Sang. He is absolutely amazing but he also just drives me insane every day. No other character has ever given me such headaches, he must be proud. Finally someone suffers as much as him (because I bet those ears cause him a permanent migraine). I feel sorry for him. I’ll take this pain gladly if it helps him in any way. 

But well. As simply as with Jiang Cheng, I do love Liu Sang. I shouldn’t really be surprised (at this point) that I fell in love with him but back when I was watching Reboot, he hit me like a truck. Which,,, he probably drove that truck himself, judging from the way he was handling the car chase with Jiang Zisuan. Just ruthlessly drove me over. I never stood a chance, not in front of that arrogance and stubbornness and enormous puppy eyes. 

And with all of himself, good and bad, he makes me feel so many things. One of those, probably the strongest one, is protectiveness. He needs someone to protect him from himself because he has a nasty self-destruction streak going. Boy has not known love since he was born. He has gone through way too much to try handle it alone. I can’t even remember how old he is supposed to be in Reboot (maybe 29?), but that is way too many years of fighting a battle he was never supposed to win. But he pulled through. Cynical and prickly and absolutely terrified of any human contact but he fucking pulled through. I want to fight some battles for him now. He deserves to rest. He deserves some peace and quiet and unconditional care. I want to tell him that he doesn’t deserve all the pain he’s going through, all the pain he himself is putting his body through because he thinks he can only be used as a punching bag. I want to tell him he deserves friends. I want to tell him that it’s okay to trust people again. I want to... just protect him. And maybe this is why – because of all this fragile mess I’ve discovered from inside of him while trying to figure out who he is – I struggle so much with writing him. I feel like I’m bringing up things no one is supposed to see. I feel like I’m pulling out words from him like teeth. But at the same time, I know he’s desperate to tell these things. 

So I struggle because I love him. Willingly. But oh boy does he annoy me sometimes, under all that protectiveness and fondness I have for him.  

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I am quite sure at this point that I don’t really ship Liu Sang with anyone. No one clicks with him in my head so well that I could feel myself slipping into the proper shipping territory. But I haven’t minded any of the ships I’ve seen for him, not Pingxiesang (which makes me super soft) or him with Kanjian (which is so sweet) or even @kholran’s pool noodle Risang (which is very interesting and I will read your fic, friend, when I am out of my Pingxie pit! I just need to feed these beasts first). I am mostly just very intrigued by all these ships people come up with because it really plays to my wish to just explore his dynamic with every other character that is available for him. 

But to put it simply: Not one perfect match exists for him yet in my head. Let’s give boy some time to figure out freindships first. 

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Well, this one I love because! This is what he is all about for me, somehow. So I will mention three: Xiaoge, Bai Haotian, and Pangzi. 

First, like I already mentioned in my Xiaoge answer, I adore Liu Sang’s dynamic with his ouxiang. They are both so damn awkward. I feel like I’m following a train wreck happening in slow motion any time I see them interact but instead of death and flames and screeching metal, it’s. surprisingly soft and sweet? They are both very tentative when it comes to people so they somehow get each other? Even if Liu Sang is a mess when it comes to Xiaoge which I totally get because I have once in my life met a person I consider a celebrity and who I look up to a lot and I was just shaking. And giggling. And acting dumbly. So I don’t blame Liu Sang for any of that; I’m actually quite proud that he’s keeping his cool so well and despite the rough start, manages to be a huge asset to his ouxiang. I am so happy that he gets to have this budding friendship with Xiaoge because they both need it.

Then! Bai Haotian. I’ve been thinking about them a lot lately and the more I rewatch some of their scenes together, the more I notice that they really develop a bond during Reboot. They are in a very similar position: brought in because of their idols, young, sometimes overlooked, struggling, and usually falling behind. And oh, definitely in need of some saving and with tragic backstories. They could be such amazing friends, and I think they come to trust and care for each other during their trip to Thunder City. Bai Haotian is so caring by nature and then Liu Sang is just right there. And Bai Haotian is so lowkey about her care; she doesn’t push if people don’t want her to, which works so well for Liu Sang. She’s there when needed. She doesn’t ask too much. She knows how it feels to look up to one of the members of the Iron Triangle and then curl your own life around them. (She also knows how it feels to have a crush on that same member and then notice that crush will never lead you anywhere, though I guess Bai Haotian comes to realize that during their trip instead of years before but well, details.) She doesn’t judge Liu Sang and somehow Liu Sang comes to rely on her a lot. 

And last but not least (never the least!): Pangzi. God I adore these two to bits. Their banter is just *chef’s kiss* and when I look at them, all I can think about is a big dog trying to pat a hissing kitten with its paw. Which then turns to the kitten play fighting the dog’s big paw. And then getting tired. And falling asleep. While the huge dog just curls its body around the kitten to keep it warm, and maybe the kitten swats at the dog slightly for show but actually it enjoys it. Because it’s nice and soft and very warm. So yes, I love it how Pangzi and Liu Sang start off as enemies but come to care for each other. I cry about the peanut scene every day. Yes please adopt this poor stray kitten, he deserves a loving home ;; Give him food and a blanket and maybe he will hiss a little less (Pangzi also gives great hugs and Liu Sang deserves a dozen. For starters.) 

My unpopular opinion about this character

Once again I am at a loss with this. I don’t really know what this fandom thinks about Liu Sang? I feel like our tiny Liu Sang hyping corner here on tumblr is very much unified with the opinions. We all love him a lot and want the best for him, case closed. So maybe I’ll just talk about my hypersensitivity headcanon for him? Let me do that for fun haha

So, I know he’s sensitive to sounds. Understandable, with his skills. And I feel bad for him for that because it must be horrible at times (we get introduced to him through him vomiting because he can’t handle a train station with all the noise, christ) but I also somehow relate to that. I get sensitive to sounds sometimes too. A simple click of my mouse can be annoying at times. I require absolute silence quite often, and this intensifies if my emotions are on the negative side. So, somehow I’m taking things from that. Touch hurts when he’s feeling bad about himself. Noises annoy him when he’s angry or scared. Lights look too bright or he feels like he can’t focus his gaze when he’s sad or panicking. Smells and tastes are intensified when he’s stressed. I dunno, just simple little things. Him feeling through his senses. Him just generally being sensitive with his feelings because this world is a demanding place and pushes you into feeling things. And I feel like a lot about him is already tied to his hearing so why not his feelings too? I’ve read so many nice takes on him which somehow support this so I feel like this just fits right in. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon

Liu Sang joins the final celebration!! Him just disappearing doesn’t make sense at all!!!! Let him get hugs!!! Let him be happy!!!! Oh my god. I was so mad about that and still am because no way did he just leave and not join his new friends for this final evening!!! Dammit. No matter how much he feels like he doesn’t belong and like he’s just “a hired talent” among them, he’s not that dull!! He got those damn peanuts and some hugs and shoulder pats from people, he was there saving the day, he managed to create bonds!!! And god, knowing Wu Xie, he would never allow Liu Sang to think that lowly of himself!!!! He would be there to offer Liu Sang the world if he wants it!! Gaaaahhhh

So yeah, give Liu Sang his moment with his new family or I am throwing something, for fuck’s sakes

thank you again for sending me these asks ♥ i’ll answer the rest during these next few days! you’re amazing!!

#i would give him my right arm #or my lungs #if he asked #so here take my blabberings #also gonna tag this as #liu sang #bc i know ppl out there love him #and we like to see each other blabber lol

[catty-words]

if you look closely you can actually pinpoint the exact moment she falls in love and falls in love and falls in love

#sex education #sexeducationedit #maeve x otis #maeve wiley #gifs by catty #don't mind me i'll just be over here losing my mind over these hearteyes #otp: fucking turned myself inside out

[the-iceni-bitch]

Cutting Down a Tree

Ninja and Puppy’s First Christmas

Pairing: Ransom Drysdale x fem!Reader (OTP ninja and puppy)

Words: ~1k

Summary: Ransom doesn’t thing manual labor agrees with him, but you disagree.

Warnings: explicit language, explicit sexual content (unprotected vaginal sex, public sex, cream pie, kinda roleplay), fluff, teasing, idiots in love, Ransom in flannel, SMUT!! 18+ ONLY!!!

A/N: This whole week is gonna be so cute and stupid, I hope y’all are ready! God, I love these fluffy idiots.

I am no longer doing taglists so if you want to stay up to date on all the latest filth, follow my sideblog @the-iceni-library and turn on notifications!

“Christ, are you holding any of this?” Ransom tried to frown at you over his shoulder, but couldn’t see you through the thick green branches of the tree the two of you were carrying. “This thing is heavy.”

“You’re the one who picked it out.” You chuckled at him as you hefted your half of the tree, grinning when you finally spotted your Volvo and he let out a sigh of relief.

“Yeah, well I didn’t realize you were going to make me cut it down myself and carry the damn thing.” Once you reached the car he took the full weight of the tree and lifted it onto the roof while you unwound the twine so you could tie it down.

“It’s a self serve tree farm, what did you think was going to happen?” You pecked him on the cheek as you started wrapping the string around the trunk and looping it inside the car. “And you got to use a chainsaw, it’s not like I made you chop it down with an axe.”

“But now I’m all sticky.” He huffed when you moved to the other side of the car, holding the tree steady and giving you a halfhearted pout.

“Aww, poor puppy.” You gave him a soft smile and shook your head before crawling through the car to join him again, tugging at the bindings to make sure they were secure and turning to wrap your arms around him. “You look good, though.”

“Really?” He grinned a little when you nodded at him, bending to run his nose over yours as his hair fell into his eyes that were bright with exertion as you brought a hand up to trace his flushed cheeks with your fingertips. “But I’m all sweaty.”

“But it’s that nice, clean sweat that makes you smell all masculine and shit.” You leaned forward and nuzzled at his throat, breathing deeply and humming as his scent filled your lungs while his arms wound tightly around you and he let out a deep purr. “And it mixes good with the fresh air and pine and the lumberjack look and I’ve been a wet mess ever since you picked up that chainsaw.”

“Is that so? Manual labor just does it for you, huh?” He grabbed your ass and squeezed when you hummed your agreement, pulling you towards the back seat and brushing his lips over your hair. “Maybe I’ll start chopping all the firewood if it gets you this worked up.”

“Please, one splinter and you’d never stop bitching.” You squealed when he shoved you into the back seat and climbed on top of you. “We can always role play though, that way I don’t have to put up with your whining.”

“Yeah, you really just want a big strong man to take care of you, huh?” He grabbed your knees and hooked them over his hips as he curled over you, nipping at the curve of your jaw and working to undo your jeans. “Need someone to chop all your wood and build all your furniture so you don’t have to worry that pretty little head?”

“Yeah.” You giggled when he flipped you over and pressed kisses over the back of your neck as he undid his own pants. “Maybe I should call Ari to take care of everything for me.”

“Ok, do you not understand the concept of role play?” Ransom bit your ear playfully when you gave him a mischievous wiggle, pulling his cock out and angling your hips so it’s wet tip could slap against the curve I’ve your ass. “But you should call him, bet he looks fine as fuck splitting firewood.”

“Right?” You moaned softly when he slid inside you, his whole body stretching over yours and pressing you into the seat as he started slowly grinding into you. “Unh, that’s good.”

“Yeah? Shit, you’re tight like this.” The way your jeans were keeping your thighs together had you squeezing the life out of his cock, his hips rolling into your ass while you whined for him as he wound his fingers through yours above your head. “Lemme just fuck all those thoughts out of that sweet head of yours.”

“Your lumberjack character is kind of an ass.” You tilted your head to the side so he could bite softly at the curve of your neck while he growled pleasantly into your skin. “Not that I’m surprised.”

“Please, you love when I’m an ass.” He licked your jaw and groaned when you clenched around him. “Just wanna take care of you.”

“Well, you’re doing a great job, fuck.” You nipped at his bicep when he drove into you deep, arching your back and whining as his pace picked up when you started fluttering around him. “I’m gonna come.”

“Good, give it to me.” He purred when you rocked your hips back into him, squeezing your thighs with his and sucking a bruise against your throat when you vibrated underneath him. “Need to feel you, come on baby.”

You sobbed when he hit that perfect spot again, your hands gripping his tightly as he murmured softly into your neck. Ransom grunted when he followed you, his hips jerking in his release as he painted your insides with his warm cum.

“Mm, that make you feel better, pup?” You grinned at him over your shoulder when he pulled out of you and sat up, rolling over and pulling your jeans back into place. “If manual labor gets you this worked up, maybe I will have you do more shit around the house. You wanna put up the Christmas lights? It’s lots of heavy boxes I need a big man to carry for me.”

“That so?” Ransom pulled you into his lap and pecked at your lips with a wicked grin, his hands framing your hips as you ran your fingers through his hair. “Too bad Ari’s out of town, you’ll just have to do it yourself.”

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